丝路员工成长记⑤｜中建材国贸客户“热联”者：陶伟、王兰菊

Tao Wei

Joined CNBM in 2012.

The Deputy Manager of the Coil Department of the Steel Division of CNBM International Corporation.

Tao Wei joined CNBM International Corporation in 2012 after graduating from university. Over the past decade, he has transformed from a shy and inexperienced foreign trade newcomer to a strong and reliable business backbone. During the process, he has been drawing his own blueprint for his dreams while also dedicating his youth to the development of the company, progressing together as one.

After joining the company, Tao Wei became a member of the steel department and dealt with the bulk building material. With trading orders often exceeding tens of millions of yuan and the market constantly fluctuating, handling orders requires the utmost care and attention to detail. Tao focused on the South American market and worked late until one or two in the morning to stay connected with clients. While on business trips overseas, he spent his days visiting clients and his nights following up on quotes, sleeping only four to five hours each day. Despite starting from scratch, his unwavering dedication and exceptional language proficiency allowed him to close deals with 14 new clients in just two years, boosting his confidence and inspiring him to set sights even further.

In 2016, Tao began to explore Panama market, which is the major market in Central America with a high demand for steel products, particularly coils. Despite the intense competition in the market and widespread industry belief that it was dominated by steel mills and trading company could hardly get a market share, Tao persevered. Drawing from his practical experience and analyzing early market data, he gradually established cooperative relationships with several key local clients, from initial inquiries and trial orders to final contracts. Over the years, these partnerships have solidified, cementing CNBM International Corporation's position as one of the major suppliers of coil steel in Panama, with the "CNBM" brand becoming widely recognized within the local market.

There is no one secret to success. Tao Wei’s unwavering persistence and dedication towards sincere service have enabled him to win the trust and appreciation of his clients. His first client from Costa Rica, secured during the 2012 Canton Fair, remains the company’s most valued client. Since 2013, Tao Wei has consistently updated prices for a potential client from Peru on a weekly basis, without interruption for seven years. This unwavering commitment finally bore fruit in 2021, when this client signed two substantial contracts in succession.

Through hard work and outstanding achievements, Tao was recognized as a "Young Expert in CNBM" in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. In 2021, he was honored with the title "Outstanding Employee of CNBM Import and Export Co., Ltd", having contributed more than 14 million RMB in sales profits, which also enabled the company to become a member of the "Billion Yuan Club" within CNBM.

As an essential platform for implementing the "Going Global" strategy of CNBM, CNBM International Corporation accurately grasps the overall requirements of building the Belt and Road Initiative under new circumstances. The company has faced challenges with determination and progressed through difficulties to showcase the strength of China’s manufacturing, constantly strengthening its presence in countries and regions along the Belt and Road. 

International trade and commerce have always played a crucial role in facilitating international relations. As a front-line salesperson, Tao deeply understands the importance of this position. He insists on executing his work with excellence and diligently implementing CNBM International Corporation's strategy of "constructing a comprehensive foreign trade service platform across the entire industry chain". Overcoming obstacles day and night, CNBM International Corporation staff, with Tao as the representative, are gradually pushing the “CNBM” brand out into the world. They work tirelessly to promote market connectivity and industrial integration with countries and regions along the Belt and Road. They narrate the story of China's development to the world in a simple yet vivid way, while their steadfast efforts depict the outstanding capabilities of Chinese youths in the new era.

President Xi Jinping once stated that "We are walking on a path full of hope. I believe that as long as we walk hand in hand, move forward together, and never stop or retreat, we will finally reach the day when we are all connected and share common prosperity." In the magnificent process of realizing the Chinese Dream, we need thousands of dedicated frontline workers like Tao Wei, who are unafraid of difficulties and willing to make contributions. As noted by the poet Qu Yuan, the road ahead is long and arduous, yet we are determined to explore with a pioneering spirit.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a logical extension of the great Chinese Dream. As members of CNBM International Corporation, we carry a great responsibility on our shoulders. We are committed to serving the construction of the BRI and contributing our youth towards achieving the “Chinese Dream” as soon as possible.

Wang Lanju

Joined CNBM in 2005

General Manager Assistant of CNBM International Corporation,

Manager of the Steel Division of CNBM International Corporation

Since she joined CNBM International Corporation in 2005, Wang Lanju has remained committed to her original aspiration in the steel foreign trade industry, and has never stopped exploring new opportunities overseas for nearly two decades. In 2023, she was honored as a “Model Worker of CNBM,” in recognition of her years of hard work and dedication, and her team's steadfast focus on international market development.

In 2006, Wang was appointed to lead the development of a new product. Faced with the immense steel industry, she had to start from scratch, creating product manuals, finding reliable suppliers, and conducting professional quality inspections. Together with her new team, they braved the blazing sun and visited factories in Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other places to learn about the product and the industry, and rapidly established a supplier network. To ensure the product quality, she and two colleagues stationed themselves in the factory, taking turns conducting quality inspections in the sweltering annealing furnace workshop. To ensure that orders were delivered with high quality and correct quantity on time, she would almost go to the factory every weekend for supervision. To quickly expand the overseas market, she burned the midnight oil and continued to contact clients after she returned home. Once, an important Russian client received her timely reply email in the early morning and asked surprisingly, "Don't you sleep?" She knew that only by working harder day and night could she achieve her goals faster. Despite a heavy workload and her obligation to train new team members, she has remained devoted and never complained.

The reward for hard work never fails. Within just two years, Wang led her team to achieve sales of $20 million USD in steel exports and a net profit of 7.65 million yuan. The success of developing new products also laid a solid foundation for future business development.

Having dedicated over a decade to the industry, Wang has approached business risks with reverence. She strictly monitors and manages every step, ensuring precise and meticulous management that guarantees stable and robust business development. Since February 2022, the market price of steel products has skyrocketed due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, only to plummet by 30% in September, compounded by a 15% depreciation of the RMB, leading to a 45% drop in export prices compared to their highest point. Furthermore, the port operations in Shanghai were disrupted, and severe port congestion in Tianjin resulted in significant delays, ultimately leading to a surge in defaults by overseas clients. Under such circumstances, she made resolute and calculated decisions, deftly managing the situation by reselling and negotiating to protect orders from incurring losses. Exporting steel products is like walking on the blade of a knife, exposed to numerous risks ranging from fluctuations in market prices, shipping costs, and exchange rates to the unpredictability of export tax rebates. For example, in 2007, the government made four policy adjustments to steel product export tax rebates, while in 2021, it twice canceled the export tax rebate for certain steel products. Over 100,000 tons of orders were impacted by these changes, involving a rebate of over 100 million yuan. The policy change allowed only two days notice for compliance, yet Wang and her team worked tirelessly day and night, collaborated effectively with clear work division, and conducted “emergency rescue” that successfully minimized the losses to the lowest possible level.

Under her leadership, the team actively adjusted their sales strategy, and the steel division achieved cash profits of 32.1 million yuan and 41.49 million yuan respectively in 2021 and 2022, earning the “Outstanding Team” award from the company for two consecutive years.

Wang has demonstrated a firm yet caring leadership towards her team members. In the workplace, she maintains exacting standards and strict demands, resulting in impressive sales figures for the steel division that consistently rank among the top three in the company. Outside work, she is a compassionate and empathetic friend to her employees, paying attention to their negative emotions and offering support when needed, regularly organizing birthday celebrations to foster camaraderie, and extending timely assistance to colleagues facing challenges in life. These actions foster a deep sense of camaraderie and unity among the entire department, making it a close-knit family. She sets an example of diligence, dedication, and commitment to work, and embodies the principles of humility, respect, gratitude, and propriety in her leadership. New employees’ development has been noteworthy, as new client acquisition is growing rapidly like mushrooms after the rain and news of successful new orders is commonplace. The new employee training program has achieved exceptional results in the steel division, with average annual profits per person exceeding two million yuan and individual annual profits for single orders reaching as high as five million yuan after only two years of employment. She has fostered a team that embodies confidence, optimism, and a willingness to take risks. They excel in opening up new opportunities and demonstrate outstanding combat effectiveness and execution skills. The team remains steadfast pioneers in promoting CNBM’s brand and developing overseas market, contributing their "steel" strength to realizing CNBM’s internationalization strategy!

To facilitate CNBM’s international business, Wang Lanju has been actively promoting the localization of operations in three Belt and Road countries: the Philippines, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. She has efficiently arranged overseas market research, implemented personnel localization, and determined localization business goals. We believe that, under her leadership, the localization operations in these three overseas markets will surely achieve excellent results and contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative.