Fight the “COVID Epidemic” abroad To win through great efforts
——The story of SDM's staff fighting in overseas market despite the Epidemic
"The epidemic abroad is very severe, shall we still go?”
“Definitely, the overseas projects need us to complete timely!”
This is what often said by the design staff of SDM who fight against the overseas market despite the epidemic.
Maybe the answer and secret are here. In the first six months of this year, SMCC Design International Engineering Branch signed 20 contracts with a contract amount of 1.111 billion yuan, completing 111% of the annual plan, and exceeding the annual business indicators in half a year.
Maybe this is the answer and secret. In the first six months of this year, the International Engineering Division of SDM signed 20 contracts with contract amount of 1.111 billion yuan, completing 111% of the annual plan, and exceeding the annual business objective in half a year.
"No reason, no excuse, no concern for their own safety, but only dedicated to the overseas project, regardless of the epidemic situation ". This is the real reflection of the leader & staff of the International engineering division of SDM. In recent years, along with "epidemic", they stand at the forefront of the deep development of the international market, and continue to provide high-quality services for international customers in the whole industry chain. The project scope covers India, Poland, Brazil, Russia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Thailand, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries. Those days stayed overseas is condensed into a string of pearls in the memory of the staff of the International Engineering Division of SDM, which became more and more brilliant.
Proud to contribute to “The belt & Road Initiative”
In the early morning of June 27, Mr. Ma Pingsheng, the director of the International Engineering Division of SDM, came to the office, opened the familiar computer and made a cup of green tea. Looking at the heavy traffic outside the window, he could not help sighing: It's good to go home! ". This is the first day at work after he went to Kazakhstan on March 24 to negotiate the cooperation project. As planned, he would return to Jinan at the end of April. After the marathon "curve" of returning home, such as the "circuit breaker" of the flight, he finally relived.
As a country along the "Belt and Road", it is noticeable that Kazakhstan is important to China. However, in 2022, various risks and challenges in the country will come one after another, and the cooperation between SDM and Kazakhstan's integated steel plant project has come to an important crossroad. Continuing cooperation requires in-depth investigation and demonstration in Kazakhstan. Giving up cooperation means losing a huge piece of "cake", what should we do?
"No matter how difficult it is, we must not give up the Kazakhstan market. We must promote Chinese technology and ideas, promote the development of countries along the" Belt and Road ", and consolidate the friendship between China and Kazakhstan. Mr. Yi Zhongde, managing director of SDM, issued an order to enter the Kazakhstan market. At this time, Kazakhstan project members continuously expressed their willingness to cooperate, further strengthening the determination and confidence of SDM in lanching the project.
In March, Kazakhstan liberalized the domestic control of epidemic situation, increasing the risk of infection. SDM resolutely set up a nine member team headed by Mr. Ma Pingsheng, and resolutely went to Kazakhstan on the basis of self-protection and ensuring personal safety and health. Just arrived in Kazakhstan, one member caught a cold and was wholly tired due to acclimatization. Then, other members of the team also caught cold one after another. "Is it the infection of "COVID? ", Mr. Ma felt a little bit uneasy.
After nucleic acid test, all members of the team were tested negative, which was a false alarm. Before going abroad, SDM prepare all kinds of medicines, protective tools, etc. for team members, which are very useful at that time. As the team members slowly recovered, the project negotiation with Kazakhstan was in full swing. In order to shorten the stay in Kazakhstan and reduce the risk of infection, the team quickened the pace of work, went to the plant in the daytime to check the project, and discussed the technical proposal at night. They often forget about the time, stay up all night is common.
Due to the differences in the design concepts and standards between the two parties, under the leadership of Ma Pingsheng, the team members modified and improved the design proposal in a relatively short time to make it more in line with the wishes of Kazakhstan party. The two parties fused smoothly and reached an agreement quickly, and signed a letter of intent on April 18. The Kazakhstan representatives spoke highly of Ma Pingxing, Su Xingmin, Liu Yang and other nine member teams with four "Extremely": extremely professional, extremely harmonious communication, extremely considerate service and extremely fast response.
In less than a month in Kazakhstan, most of the team members lost more than 5kg of weight. They laughed and said "it was an unexpected weight loss". Mr. Chen Liwei, deputy director of electric department, also is one senior engineer. For this project, the wedding date of his son was postponed from April to July. He said: "For the sake of the project, my family will understand." When asked about the feelings of this trip to Kazakhstan, team members said: "I am proud to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative!"
Miss home & miss mother more!
As of July 12, Mr. Zhang Xiangguo, Deputy Director of the Ironmaking Business Department of SDM, had been in India for 306 days. He has become accustomed to the work and life in India. He found it challenging and meaningful. But he missed his home and missed his mother more.
Last year, when SDM won the bid for the upgrading and reconstruction project of India's Vedanta Integrated Steel, he was asked if he was willing to work in India. "He agreed with a smile without saying a word. That's it!" Mr. Liu Chunqing, vice managing director of the company, said. At that time, we don’t know anything about his family, but out of our expectation, his mother need to take care for a long time.
On September 12 last year, before leaving for India, the company leader asked Zhang Xiangguo again if there was anything that the organization could help. He said quietly, "Nothing, anything at home is well arranged. Please rest assured." Every day in India, his mother is the biggest concern in his heart. Although his mother is cared for by nursing assistant, he is still worried. His greatest wish is to finish his work in India as soon as possible, go home and take care of his mother personally.
At the construction site of the project in India, Zhang Xiangguo was left with a busy figure. He surveyed the scene and imparted experience during the day, analyzed, discussed, revised and improved the proposal at night. In case of key nodes, he read a large number of books to understand the relevant local policies and technical standards, and make scientific and standardized construction proposal, project structures, construction drawings, maintenance essentials, supervision and inspection. Zhang Xiangguo kept improving. It has become a benchmark and won the admiration of the Vedanta party.
Mr. Guo Wei (of SDM International Engineering Division), and Mr. Rong Dezhi (of Project Management Division), were among the first to go to India with Mr. Zhang Xiangguo. At that time, India was experiencing the peak of the epidemic. While making great efforts to protect themselves, Mr. Guo climbed the blast furnace, down the flue, up to the boiler, and go through the gallery under stress to conduct diagnose and repair of the equipment and facilities and escort the project.
In June this year, the Indian side began to overhaul the 3# 350m3 blast furnace. The construction company works 24 hours a day without interruption. In order to ensure the installation quality and progress, they gave up the rest time and often worked overtime at night on site. The daytime temperature in India is above 40℃, while that in the blast furnace proper is close to 50℃. The labor suits are covered with white salt stains, mixed with lubricating oil stains and ash stains. At present, they still stick to the project site in India. Looking at his slimming self in the mirror, Guo Wei joked: "We suddenly became Indian skin color, but the project is on track. It’s worthy!”
"Overseas projects are more sweet than bitter"
On May 14, when Mrs. Zhu Xiaolei (of SDM International Engineering Division), stepped into Vietnam, she was shocked at the sight: almost everyone did not wear mask. Although she often traveled around the world, such a high risk of infection still made her gasp.
For a new comprehensive steel plant project designed by SDM in Vietnam, Mrs. Zhu always takes serving customers wholeheartedly as her mission, communicating project details and coordinating project progress. Soon, the busy work gradually diluted her inner fear and worry. What she could do was to protect herself as much as possible and reduce unnecessary touch. She talks with her daughter in Jinan by video phone almost every night, listening to the child call "Mom", and she immediately feels full of energy. At the end of July, Zhu Xiaolei will finish his work in Vietnam and return to Jinan. She said that she would seize every minute to deal with the details of project cooperation and complete the task from beginning to end.
For the first coke dry quenching and power generation project in Iran, Mr. Ma Lei (of SDM International Engineering Division) and his colleagues went to Iran with a mission on April 26, 2021. In the first month of his arrival, he lost hair and got a rash, but the project has reached the final push before production, and all work must be accelerated. "I didn't care about the epidemic at that time, so I took precautions and stayed at the project site as long as I had time." He said.
After nearly six months of unremitting efforts, Iran's first CDQ and power generation project was successfully put into operation on November 11, 2021. At the end of May this year, Ma Lei finished his work in Iran and returned to Jinan. He said that he would pay close attention to the project in the future, and he would go to Iran at any time if necessary. At present, Iran's CDQ and power generation projects are operating well and have won unanimous praise from the owners. The owners of several major iron and steel plants in Iran also visited the CDQ and power generation projects designed and constructed by SDM, and expressed their willingness to cooperate.
In August last year, when I first arrived in Democratic Republic of the Congo, the risks of riots and infectious diseases were intertwined, which far exceeded the recognition of Mr. Wei Huixin, (of SDM International Engineering Division). Sometimes when slept at night, there is gunshot outside the window from time to time. It was terrifying. However, the project has reached the key point of negotiation. He didn't care so much. Meeting, revising proposal, government approval and other work filled his life in DRC. Finally, he successfully signed a cooperation agreement with the DRC government. "No matter how hard it is, with the strong support of SDM, what else could worry about?" Wei Huixin said with emotion.
In his spare time, Mr. Ma likes to share those days abroad with his family and friends. He always said, "There must be someone to conduct overseas projects. Once take up the post, we are obliged to do the duty. It's more sweet than bitter."
Zhang Xiangguo, Ma Pingsheng, Guo Wei, Chen Liwei, Rong Dezhi, Wei Huixin, Zhu Xiaolei, Ma Lei, Su Xingmin, Li Qingyang, Li Shuchuan, Jia Chunhai, Yuan Wenfu, Lin Qingmei, Li Wuchun, Hua Xujun, Zhang Ruibin, Ren Weihai, Song Leiming... as well as all the people who silently support the international business operation, they have jointly described the brilliant exploits of SDM to open up the international market with hard work and dedication. In the special period when the overseas epidemic was raging, they used their practical actions to interpret the new image of SDM staff who are considerate of users, down-to-earth, brave and courageous.
