WEIHUA
“What is the most essential thing for a group of people to do one thing well?”
“A sense of mission as if starting a business.”
Project manager Zhao Yubin answered firmly. This is not only his personal creed but also the driving force behind the entire Mexico project team.
The client is a world – top steel giant. From signing the contract, design, production to testing, every step is fraught with difficulties. Stringent standards, complex structures, and unprecedented design challenges are like mountains waiting to be climbed. Over four hundred days and nights, everyone in the team worked around the clock, almost exhausting themselves. When the first 50 – ton gantry crane with the “Weihua” logo slowly rolled out of the factory area, all the sweat and efforts finally condensed into a beam of light heading into the distance at that moment.
This is an unprecedented expedition and also a “march northward” carrying glory and dreams.
WEIHUA
Influenced by both tariff policies and market dividends, Mexico has become an indispensable “land – based springboard” for many enterprises to enter the North American market. With the settlement of global top automakers, the local economy is booming.
Facing this thriving land, an international steel group was ambitious. In 2024, it invested in building a new factory in Monterrey, an industrial hub in northern Mexico, and publicly tendered globally. Three 50 – ton gantry cranes became the core tender items.
When the news came, Shi Jian, the country manager of Weihua International’s Europe – America region, was excited.
As a “pioneer” who has been deeply engaged in the Mexican market for many years, he knew all too well that this was not only a key move in Weihua’s internationalization strategy but also a fulcrum to pry open the high – end European and American markets. Winning the order from the international steel giant was like holding the key to a higher stage.
Shi Jian (the first on the left) and his colleagues visit Mexican clients
“Opportunities are fleeting. In this crucial battle with favorable conditions, we have no way back and must win.” Facing the eager international competitors, Shi Jian’s belief was as firm as a rock.
In multiple business negotiations, he calmly showed the client Weihua’s service cases: overhead cranes for ArcelorMittal in France, gantry cranes for Saudi Aramco, customized solutions for the Russian market… World – leading anti – sway technology, innovative practices in flexible manufacturing of discrete equipment, and the high – efficiency production capacity of one overhead crane rolling off the production line every hour. Weihua demonstrated the unique advantages of Chinese manufacturing, which made the client nod frequently.
However, the real tests came one after another. The client inspected Weihua’s factory four times. There was no small talk, only straightforward questions and records: observing the trajectory of the automatic welding torch, measuring the wire spacing with a vernier caliper, checking the waterproof performance of the equipment… Every time, Shi Jian was sweating nervously, but he always remained calm, never eagerly asking for the result. Instead, he won the client’s trust with professional product comparisons and suggestions.
Ultimately, what impressed the client was not only the technical strength but also Weihua’s determination to take root in Mexico. The local office and the upcoming subsidiary demonstrated unique sincerity and service capabilities.
Shi Jian and the client take a photo at Weihua
“We don’t just sell equipment; we provide problem – solving solutions.” Shi Jian said, “In the sales field, nothing is more difficult than winning trust. But as long as our solutions can hit the pain points, there is no reason for the client not to choose us.“
WEIHUA
At the beginning of signing the contract, the members of the technical team thought everything should go smoothly. “Because we already have relatively mature products and a lot of resources, it shouldn’t be too difficult,” but it turned out that things were not as simple as expected.
“European standards and Chinese standards are completely two different design systems.” Liu Fuli rubbed his throbbing temples and pointed at the parameters on the screen. “For example, for the weld quality level, the Chinese standard may only mark it as level one, while the European standard needs to be detailed in terms of penetration depth, undercut amount, and flaw detection ratio.”
What’s more troublesome is that the core components specified by the client are all foreign brands. Only limited contact can be made through middlemen, and even product drawings and materials cannot be provided. It’s impossible to get in touch with their technical team, making effective communication very difficult.
Liu Fuli (the second on the right) and the team discuss technical feasibility
“There is no reference plan. Everything starts from scratch, just like learning a new language.” The design team was thrown into a “survival in desperate situations” – like challenge.
Liu Fuli disassembled the thick technical agreement into more than 300 specific requirements, translated, marked, and verified them word by word, and then transformed them into drawings through precise design language.
This was a high – intensity cross – border “translation” filled with countless do – overs. Any minor modification could “affect the whole body”, leading to a readjustment of the entire system.
Electrical designer Hou Pengchao felt this deeply, especially the optimization of integrating two air – conditioners into one. Compressing the heat dissipation of two air – conditioners into one box required recalculating the heat transfer coefficient, adjusting the air duct direction, and merging the electrical room. “We need to meet the client’s requirements, ensure quality and safety, and also match the usage scenario. It’s like building Lego blocks. Adjusting any part requires starting all over again.”
Hou Pengchao carefully checks the requirements of the technical agreement
The plan was revised five times but still undetermined. The team’s initial edge was severely tested, and their patience was almost exhausted. Frustration began to spread, and some even thought about giving up. But Liu Fuli knew that this was the first “admission ticket” to the North American market, which was of great significance.
He said, “We don’t seek quick success, but we must move steadily and solidly! No matter how many times we need to revise, we must go all out and ensure everything is foolproof!” These words reignited everyone’s fighting spirit.
Despite the 14 – hour time difference between China and Mexico, the project team worked around the clock, often communicating with the client at night and improving the plan during the day according to the feedback. Their figures could often be seen in the office on weekends. Everyone had only one belief: we must win this opening battle!
Finally, the technical team, with the ultimate craftsmanship of “hand – drawing blueprints”, perfectly responded to all requirements. Optimized electrical room design, innovative integration of wireless WiFi, slip – line communication, “safety failure protection system” and other technologies were implemented.
The project team conducts test acceptance with the client
Liu Fuli said proudly, “This design is strictly in line with the European standard system, achieving a full – dimension zero – compromise implementation. We have not only overcome international technical barriers but also achieved a comprehensive leap in the team’s capabilities.”
WEIHUA
The members of the project team came from different departments. Although each was an excellent individual, the initial collaboration was not smooth. Everyone had different understandings of the project, and in the face of a high – intensity work rhythm, disagreements were inevitable.
How to unify thinking? How to closely integrate the company’s strategy with project execution? Project manager Zhao Yubin constantly asked himself. Especially in meetings, it was difficult for everyone to be available at the same time, and many people complained that “meetings always delay work.”
Zhao Yubin didn’t rush to refute but carried a chair to communicate with colleagues at their workstations in the form of “small meetings.”
“If he doesn’t come to me, I’ll go to him. The essence of a meeting is to reach a consensus, and the form doesn’t matter.” So, the workshop, the cafeteria, and even the freight elevator became places for discussing problems. This subtle change quietly ignited the team’s chemistry, and the team’s edges gradually formed a cohesive force.
Project – promotion meeting
During the client’s inspection, the team coordinated and integrated resources from sales, technology, production, etc., accompanied and explained throughout the process. During the National Day holiday, the product test acceptance entered a sprint, and all members voluntarily stayed behind to overcome the difficulties of tight time and heavy tasks, ensuring the smooth completion of the acceptance.
The real tests are hidden in the details, and what’s more touching are the struggling figures in ordinary positions.
When the first imported air – conditioner arrived, warehouse manager Dong Xinyue was in a dilemma: full – English labels, special – shaped appearance, and even the logistics form was filled with professional terms. “I can’t accept it!” She grabbed the delivery driver. “I have to figure out if this is what the client wants.” She translated word by word with a mobile app, double – checked, compared with the technical agreement, and contacted the purchasing department to confirm before putting the materials into storage.
To overcome the management difficulties of imported materials, she took pictures of all the English labels for filing, translated and compared them one by one, and even compiled a “Quick – check Manual for English – labeled Materials” by herself.
Once, two gaskets for a batch of imported hydraulic valves were missing. She took inventory in the warehouse more than ten times and finally found them in the hidden interlayer of the container.
From being flustered at the beginning to being efficient and accurate later, she and the warehousing team silently supported the project’s huge material demand system with their quick responses time and time again.
Zhao Yubin checks the minutes of the review meeting
“We can’t wait for everything to be perfect,” Zhao Yubin expressed the team’s feelings, “We must carry the mission of starting a business, think and work together towards a common goal.”
