Durch Phil Hantman

Am Ende von 2005, die wir entschieden, eine Fabrik zu beginnen, unsere Selbst zu produzieren, entwarf pädagogische Betriebsmittel für Primärschulen. Ich wußte, daß es schwierig sein würde - aber wie es stark sein könnte?

Aller es fing, als unser Shenzhen Hersteller unserer eigen-entworfenen Ausbildung Produkte gründete an, bewogen auf einen preiswerteren Aufstellungsort einige fünf Stunden vom Hong Kong Rand.

Qualität und Produktion starben buchstäblich über Nacht.

Nach 1 Jahr des Versuchens, annehmbaren Vorrat von ihnen zu erhalten und meine Kunden im Prozeß fast verlieren, wurde die Entscheidung getroffen, um zu versuchen und es allein zu machen. Mein englisches Vertreter und seine chinesische Frau lokalisierten die Voraussetzungen für mich in Shenzhen. Hong Kong gründete Ingenieur, der für die vorhergehenden Hersteller gearbeitet hatte und verlassen hatte, nachdem die Bewegung, die Fabrik laufen zu lassen eingezogen wurde.

So konnte was falsch gehen?

Alles!

Erstens - es nahm für immer zum Satz oben die Geschäft Ausrichtung und als es aufgestellt erhielt, war es falsch. Wir waren nicht imstande, eine Exportlizenz zu erhalten.

Zweitens ohne ein Geschäft Ausrichtung Dokument könnten wir nicht ein Bankkonto eröffnen. So kein Geld konnte nach China innen gebracht werden, um Ausrüstung zu kaufen oder Löhne zu zahlen. Für vier Monate wurde Bargeld über dem Rand von HK getragen, um Löhne und Aufbauarbeiter zu zahlen etc.

Drittens - als das Konto schließlich geöffnet wir wurden zugeteilt einer Bank war, zum unserer Haupteinspritzung niederzulegen - eine zugelassene Anforderung für gründen oben Firmen in China. Problem war - einmal im Konto, das es sehr schwierig ist, es heraus zu erhalten wieder. The funds were effectively locked until we approach the bank with a wealth of documentation, including the business registration, company chops and invoices for capital assets.

Fourthly - Just as we had everything in place to transfer our trapped funds out of the allocated capital account into a working account - so we could get on with our business, disaster fell. Our factory manager was travelling to the bank to complete the transfer of the funds. He arrives at the bank as they are closing for lunch. So leaving all of the company’s important documents and original information, on the front seat of his car, he goes for a Big Mac! As you would expect, the car gets broken into and it gets all gets pinched. We end up being held to ransom by some gang of thieves who contact my agent by phone that evening wanting the equivalent of $4000 for the return of the items.

The police were informed and a sophisticated sting operation was set up for the exchange of the items for cash at a deposit box in a supermarket. A policeman posed as the factory manager to collect the first drop - a sample document to show that they actually had the goods.

Maybe it was the fact that the Policeman just looked like a policeman - even in plain clothes, that alerted the thieves. Or maybe it was the fact that he climbed out of his patrol car when he walked to the supermarket - who knows. But our thieves and the documents were never seen or heard from again.

So how can a few documents be so important?

We are talking about the company registration document and the company chops. In China the banking system relies on company chops or stamps to sign all cheques and to make all transactions from the bank.

Signatures are not required. So obviously they are not something you want a thief to get hold of! We had to inform the bank urgently to put a stop on the Chop being used and place a display advert in the local papers declaring that this chop was no longer legal tender.

It then took another three months to replace the stamps and documents so we could eventually start trading and release the funds from the bank. Almost eight months after the company was supposed to have started trading.

So - plain sailing from now on then? Unfortunately not!

The last thing a new factory needs, after such a difficult start, is a go-slow followed by a walk out of 1/3rd of the work force!!!!!

Needless to say 2006 was not a great year for us!

However, after a senior management change the turnaround in the last six months has been remarkable. Now I see production and quality at an extremely high level and I am extremely proud of what has been achieved.

I can finally say that it has been worth it.

Phil Hantman, director of Edtech