Determined to take revenge and make soda, a group of congenial young scientists gathered around them, including Chen Tiaofu, a master of chemistry at Soochow University in Suzhou, Li, a graduate of Tokyo Institute of Technology majoring in electrical chemistry, and Hou, a doctor of chemistry at Columbia University in the United States. This is the first real team of scientists in enterprise history, and Li Houlai became the Minister of Food Industry of the Republic of China. Hou is famous for his original "Hou's soda production method". This is a group of young people who really give everything for China. One year, Steve Chen's beloved wife Pan Yingru passed away. At that time, Wynn's financial situation was the most tense. In his obituary, Chen Tifu, who was in great pain, wrote: "I don't accept elegiac couplets, handfuls and other things, such as toasts, but only cash." After the funeral, Steve Chen gave all the presents to Fan Xudong.
19 17 years, Fan Xudong cooperated with Chen Tiaofu and Wang Xiaoxu, and built 1 3-meter-high lime kiln and 1 ammonia and alkali plant in the courtyard of his apartment in Tianjin, and carried out model tests. After more than three months of fighting day and night, they got through the process and made a 9 kg product. Fan Xudong suggested to the board of directors of Jiuda Company to build an alkali plant. After approval, it began to raise funds, recruit talents, design drawings and equipment, apply for industrial salt tax exemption, and choose a site to build a factory. 19 18 1 In June, Wynn Alkali Industry Company was established.
Fan Xudong has negotiated with foreign investors who have patent rights to purchase alkali-making technology. The conditions put forward by the other party are very harsh: it is required to stipulate in the contract that the key production processes are directly operated by them, without apprentices and technology; To sell products in our country, they must set up a market, and they are not allowed to sell in areas outside the regulations ... Fan Xudong flatly rejected these conditions and decided to buy equipment from abroad and organize the design by themselves.
At that time, several major companies that monopolized soda production technology also kept each other strictly confidential, and each company kept its own "trick". All the important machinery and equipment are made by various factories, and they don't sell complete sets of equipment. The purchase of equipment can only be pieced together, and the design is very difficult. When Steve Chen was studying in the United States, Fan Xudong entrusted him and Li Guoqin of new york Huachang Trading Company to hire technicians to design, purchase and order equipment in the United States, and also hired chemical students studying in the United States to participate in the design, drawing and acceptance of equipment during holidays. 19 19 At the end of the year, a set of patchwork design drawings was finally made and brought back to China by Chen Tiaofu.
Wynn experienced more hardships than Jiujiu, which lasted for eight years. In the preparation of the factory, several major international companies that monopolize alkali production technology are strictly confidential, and it is almost impossible to purchase complete sets of machinery and equipment. Everything needs to be redesigned and studied.
Chen Tiaofu and Wang Xiaoxu built a 3-meter-high lime kiln in their home in Fan Xudong, and made a set of soda-making equipment. After more than three months of experiments, they got through the technological process and produced 9 kilograms of qualified soda ash.
1920, Li Yong Alkali Industry Company raised 400,000 yuan from Yinyang, which was specially approved by the President of Beiyang Government. The Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce exempted industrial salt for 30 years, and the site was located near Tanggu Yantian. In September, the soda plant broke ground. In the process of construction and installation, many technical and equipment problems were exposed, and the design had to be revised again and again, and it had to be reworked constantly. On the recommendation of Chen Tiaofu, Hou Yu 1922 was invited to come to the factory to lead the technical work in an all-round way. The trial run started from 1923, and it was continuously repaired and adjusted. 1In August, 924, Wynn invested 2 million yuan and finally produced the first batch of alkali products.
However, it is disappointing that the produced alkali is still red and black. When the news came out, the British-funded company laughed. At this time, all the calciners of the four ships were burnt out and could not be used again. The whole factory was forced to stop production for a period of time, and the shareholders who had been waiting for several years had lost patience, but Fan Xudong still insisted. Bouniemen took the opportunity to ask for talks with Fan Xudong, hoping to become a shareholder of Wynn, but Fan Xudong refused, on the grounds that the articles of association clearly stipulated that "shareholders are limited to people with China nationality". More than a year later, on June 29th, 1926, Wynn finally produced pure and white qualified alkali, and the whole factory was jubilant. Fan Xudong said to Steve Chen beside him with tears in his eyes, "Over the years, my clothes have been too big. Mr. Chen, you can live a few more years. " Fan Xudong named this product Wynn soda to distinguish it from "foreign soda". In August, Wynn Soda won the gold medal at the World Expo held in Philadelphia, USA. The expert's evaluation is: "This is a symbol of China's industrial progress."
1in the spring of 925, with the efforts of colleagues such as Hou, we found the root of the product quality problem, constantly improved measures, and gradually saw results, and the color of the product began to turn white. However, all the calciners of the four ships were burnt out and could not be used again, so the whole plant was forced to stop production. It will cost a lot of money to resume operation and continue to solve technical problems. The "temporary exemption for one year" of salt tax is about to expire. The differences between shareholders are even greater. Nicholson, general manager of Bunemen Company, has repeatedly asked Fan Xudong to hold talks with Wynn Soda Factory. During the talks in Dalian, he repeatedly boasted that Bunniemen had sufficient funds, strong technical force and superior conditions; This paper analyzes the plight of Li Yong soda plant, and puts forward that it is willing to invest capital and technology to cooperate with Li Yong soda plant.
Before going to Dalian, Fan Xudong had anticipated that the other party was trying to take over the Yongli Soda Plant and control the soda ash industry in China. To this end, he proposed that the articles of association of Wynn Company had clearly stipulated that "shareholders are limited to those with China nationality" and there was no flexibility. Otherwise, it would affect the preferential policies formulated by the government, which was unfavorable to Wynn Soda Factory and declined the proposal of "cooperation".
After returning to the factory, Fan Xudong held a board meeting to analyze the advanced and arduous nature of Sulvi soda production technology, and listed that Japan and other countries still failed to produce it after years of exploration, while Li Yong soda plant successively solved many problems such as process technology and equipment, so it could not fall short; It also introduces all kinds of schemes and intrigues that foreign monopoly capital has repeatedly tried to stifle the cause of Li Yong soda plant. Directors are required to build a strategic position from a strategic height and persist in fighting for the future of Li Yong soda plant and national industry; The soda factory will be a success. He also recounted Hou's achievements for many years, taking the factory as his home, checking problems, trying to lead employees, and put forward: "I hope everyone will support his work as you support a rare talent like me ..." Fan Xudong's profound and ambitious report was understood and supported by all directors.
1in June, 925, during the patriotic anti-imperialist climax aroused by the May 30th tragedy, Li Yong Soda Factory published an article entitled "Looking at the sinister means of the British to destroy domestic products" through the Shanghai English-language Continental Daily, exposing the taxation process of industrial salt and Ding En's acts of violating sovereignty and destroying China's industry, which aroused strong repercussions in the media. Dean and others were afraid of public opinion, so they extended the industrial salt tax exemption for another five years. During this period, under the leadership of Hou, the technical problems in the soda plant were continuously solved, and the advanced rotary external thermal decomposition furnace was re-ordered, replacing the original boat-shaped decomposition furnace that had long been eliminated abroad.
1June, 926, the work of restarting the car was completed. In the meantime, Fan Xudong, in his busy schedule of commanding the overall situation, always insisted on frequently going to the site to inspect the construction and installation, and participated in the research and handling of various problems. The original pipelines for conveying lye are all steel pipes, which are not corrosion-resistant, often damaged and repaired for a long time, which affects production more and more seriously. After he found out, he made up his mind to dismantle the steel pipes worth 654.38+10,000 yuan in this system and replace them with corrosion-resistant cast iron pipes, thus solving the problem. Afterwards, he also asked the workers to make a table out of several scrap pipes and put it in the office to warn them that they had not realized the seriousness of the corrosion problem for a long time. On June 29th, the soda plant was restarted, everything was normal, and pure and white products were continuously produced. In the jubilation of the whole factory, Fan Xudong suggested that the product should be named "soda ash" to distinguish it from "foreign soda". Since then, Wynn soda ash has been selling well all over the country, and its name has spread all over the country.
1926 In August, Wynn Soda won the comment of "Symbol of China's Industrial Progress" at the international exposition held in Philadelphia, USA, and won the gold medal in the conference, which made it famous overseas. At this time, Bunniemen Company, relying on its abundant funds and the market it has mastered, took the means of price reduction and dumping, drastically reduced the price in Shanghai, Hankou, Changsha and other places where Wynn sells soda ash, and even sold it on credit in an attempt to squeeze Wynn soda ash out of the market. In Tianjin, Wynn will not be induced to sell most of its products locally by lowering prices, so that their products can continue to occupy the vast market in China. After studying and analyzing the market dynamics, Fan Xudong decided to take corresponding countermeasures. He instructed the company's business organization that when the price of alkali is reduced, we will sell it at a price higher or even lower than the cost to extend the credit period; Besides Tianjin, our products are also sold in other places.
At first, some shareholders disagreed. Fan Xudong patiently explained to them: "If we concentrate our sales in Tianjin, foreign sales will not be opened and the market foundation will not be consolidated. One day, Bournemuen will come back, we will be completely helpless, and the result is likely to be a complete failure. "
Sure enough, Wynn soda ash was sold at reduced prices in various places for less than a month, and Bunemen Company sent people to Wynn to negotiate and adjust the sales price of soda ash. At the same time, the company also recommended a small employee to join Wynn through the cadres of Wynn soda factory as a visiting agent to collect business information of Wynn. This man has a salary in Bouniemen and Li Yong Soda Factory. Later, he finally found his conscience and confessed the fact that he was a spy. When Fan Xudong learned about it, he immediately talked to him, praised his confession as a sign of patriotism, and promised not to dismiss him and asked him to continue working. But put forward a condition, that is, when he provides information to the company in the future, Fan Xudong should first specify the virtual business dynamic materials of senior staff in the company, and then send them to him.
This anti-espionage trick put Wynn Soda Factory in a favorable position in the competition with Bunemen for soda ash market, and Bunemen's attempt to crush Wynn finally failed. Later, Bunniemen finally agreed to Fan Xudong's agreement on soda ash market sales, that is, Wynn soda ash sales should account for 5 1% of the total sales in China market, once again safeguarding the rights and interests of China's national industry and commerce.
In order to personally go to Wynn Soda Factory to understand the situation and seek new tricks, the general manager of Bunniemen Company invited Fan Xudong to meet in Tianjin through his manager in Shanghai. Fan Xudong agreed to meet him only in Shanghai and go south by train on the night he left for Tianjin. He also told his colleagues in Li Yong Soda Factory that if General Manager Bunniemen asked to visit the Soda Factory, he could accompany him into the factory, but only let him see the boiler room and refused to visit the main workshop, as a reward for his courtesy visit to the British Soda Factory more than 20 years ago.
From 1927 to 1937, the annual output of Wynn soda ash has more than tripled, and the "Red Triangle" brand soda ash is exported to Japan, India and Southeast Asia. In Tianjin, Li Yong Soda Factory, Nankai University and Ta Kung Pao are collectively called "Three Treasures of Tianjin", which respectively represent the highest level of industry, universities and journalism in that era. The main workshop of Li Yong Soda Plant is towering into the sky. The carbonization workshop is 32 meters high and has 8 floors in total. The steaming workshop is 47 meters high, reaching 1 1 floor. It is not only the tallest building in North China, but also a landmark building in Tanggu and even the whole of Tianjin. Fan Xudong's heart of saving the country through science is very passionate. He once said in a speech: "If China does not have a group of people, he will settle down: not hot, not bored, not confused by the fame and fortune of his time, and create new academic skills for China. China will never give birth to new life. "
During the difficult start of Li Yong Soda Plant, Fan Xudong continued to develop salt industry and accumulated funds to get rid of the company's economic pressure. 1926 established Yongyu Salt Company in Qingdao, 1927 established Xinfu Salt Company in Hankou, 1930 established Jiudapu Branch in Lianyungang, Jiangsu. In addition to building a salt factory to make refined salt from seawater, he also built his own power plant to generate electricity. The development of salt industry not only strengthened Jiuda Salt Industry Company, but also strongly supported the development of soda production in Yongli. Salinity has become an important force in China's national industry.