丝路员工成长记⑨｜中东市场“李云龙”&12年坚守埃及大漠者金鑫

Joined CNBM in 2007

General Manager of CNBM UAE

Li Weifeng, who joined the CNBM family in 2007, has been working overseas for more than ten years. He has worked in CNBM Jordan NCC Project Department, Ethiopia DMC Project Department, Oman Branch, Ethiopia Branch, CNBM UAE, etc. He had dealt with work challenges, turning the conference room where people often quarreled and slapped tables into an "Arab café" where problems were quietly dealt with. He had negotiated business, and "We only choose CNBM as our contractor " was the evaluation given by the owner. He gets along with his staff. "Brother Feng can get along with everyone, and we won’t hesitate to tell him anything."

In October 2020, Li was appointed as the General Manager of China National Building Material Group FZE (Hereafter referred to as "CNBM UAE "). At that time, the pandemic was serious in the UAE. Employees were working from home, and the company was facing problems such as declining sales production for years, plummeting bank credit lines, and high overdue accounts. However, he didn't flinch at all, with the sense of honor of a CNBMer, he stepped firmly on the road of reform.

After taking the seat, Li did not rush to implement the new policy. Instead, he explored into the root causes of the company's developmental issues.

He discovered that employees lacked confidence, with some even feeling lost. To address this, he watched a film called "Atomic Bomb" with key business personnel. After the film, each employee shared their thoughts and feelings. Inspired by the film, Li formulated the team’s motto: "Be courageous in innovation, say no to 'impossible'." This slightly unusual slogan guides the actions of every employee and helps the company overcome one difficulty after another.

While building up everyone's confidence, an urgent issue to address was the company's cash flow. Li organized the leadership team to develop a new performance system. Firstly, they implemented incentive activities based on monthly business. These activities yielded significant results within the first two months, with a 28.13% increase in average monthly revenue and a turnaround from losses to profits. Secondly, they established monthly performance assessment, overdue account collection measures, and excess profit reward systems to address specific issues effectively, and adjusted according to the company's development dynamics.

After a series of adjustments, the UAE Overseas Warehouse has established a "self-operated +shared" development strategy. It was successfully selected as one of the first national-level international marketing service public platforms and obtained the highest-level A-grade certification for China's public overseas warehouse standardization. The company took the lead in providing distribution and consignment services for new energy vehicles and parts, collaborating with upstream vehicle companies, manufacturers, and channel distributors, aiming to create a base for Chinese

new energy vehicles in the Middle East region. By 2022, the UAE Overseas Warehouse’s operating revenue increased by 109% year-on-year, and achieved a net profit by 26% year-on-year.

Corporate culture is the soul of a great company. To create a distinctive culture, he promotes the learning of the group's culture and national policies within the CNBM UAE, displaying the essence of the group's culture in the exhibition rooms. Innovation is the core value of CNBM Group and the core of the corporate culture to be shaped in the CNBM UAE. The company emphasizes the importance of proactively identifying and overcoming challenges, which is the innovation culture of the UAE company.

In terms of business development, Li proactively creates pressure for performance growth, including developing new business and new clients. On the financial side, obtaining credit limits that match with business development is a responsibility. In risk control, the responsibility is to enhance the ability to distinguish between good and bad customers, conduct risk rating, and use risk control tools to achieve the company's annual goals. In procurement, the company upholds the concept of large-scale procurement and establishes cooperative partnerships with resource providers that align with the goal of building a world-class building materials enterprise.

In addition to internal development, the company has not neglected external promotion. Li secured the support of the UAE China Cross Border E-Commerce Association, successfully listing the UAE overseas warehouse, and received strong support from government such as the Royal Family of Dubai, the China Development and Reform Commission Southern Cooperation Center, the CCPIT, Henan Provincial Commerce Department, and the Pingshan District of Shenzhen City, etc. A number of senior officials such as representatives from the Royal Family of Dubai, the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi and representative of Djibouti Government also visited the company. Li actively introduced CNBM Group and enhanced CNBM's brand image overseas. The CNBM UAE has appeared on well-known media such as Middle East Chinese Newspaper and Dingxin Media for many times to promote the company's concept of cooperation and development with various market players.

In order to enable the CNBM UAE to enter a healthy development track as soon as possible, Li has not reunited with his family for seventeen consecutive months. He has a daughter and a son. His wife said that when their son was born, he was sticking to his post in Ethiopia project and could not witness the birth of their son. Now his son is two years old, and he has not celebrated his birthday once. As a father, he felt somewhat incompetent. He puts his heart and soul into his work and believes that the prosperity of the CNBM UAE also contains a glory belonging to his family!

Jin Xin

Joined CNBM in 2003

The Egypt GOE O&M Project Manager of TCDRI

Jin Xin is the Project Manager of GOE project contracted by Tianjin Cement Industry Design & Research Institute (TCDRI) in Egypt. The project is located in a vast desert, where solitary smoke seems to rise straight into the clouds and the sun sets perfectly on the endless Nile River. Jin Xin has been working there for twelve years. The project team led by him has completed production tasks exceedingly for eleven years in a row and has renewed the production ensuring contract with the client several times.

The GOE project in Egypt is currently the project for which TCDRI has provided the longest operation and maintenance service. With the efforts of Jin Xin and his team, the project has overcome numerous difficulties and countless obstacles. Its achievementshave won high praise from the owner. While creating excellent business benefits, the project has also effectively enhanced the brand image of TCDRI.

On February 1, 2012, the GOE project in Egypt officially began operation. The project was owned by the Egyptian military, and the project was managed militarily. There were significant differences between Jin Xin’s team and the project owner in aspects of production technology, cultural customs, and ways of thinking. At the beginning of the project, poor communication between the two parties led to numerous misunderstandings and difficulties.

Therefore, Jin Xin took some time to actively communicate with the manager of the Egyptian cement plant every night, proposing specific suggestions and methods on how to solve problems arising in the work, and using his professionalism and sincerity to eliminate misunderstandings and obstacles, so as to enhance understanding and mutual trust between both sides. Over time, the client's smiles increased, the working atmosphere between both sides became more harmonious, the operational efficiency of the factory improved, and the mutual trust and cooperation between both parties deepened. All these have created good economic benefits and customer value.

In 2019, the Egyptian cement market continued to be sluggish. Sluggish cement sales and low prices resulted in a large number of clinker piles. In order to respond to customer needs and market shocks,

Jin Xin and the project team actively carried out cost reduction and efficiency enhancement activities. While ensuring cement quality, they reduced the production cost of cement by increasing the amount of the auxiliary materials added. Through self-made prevention + production recovery". Due to cultural and philosophical differences, many Egyptian workers lacked awareness of epidemic prevention and were not proactive in preventing the pandemic. They all were unwilling to wear masks and even wandered and gathered in enclosed areas. Jin Xin believed that only by changing the mind of the client and local employees on epidemic prevention, improving their epidemic prevention awareness and carrying out the joint prevention and control of the pandemic could the production ensuring services and personnel safety of the project be ensured maximumly.

To this end, he and his team members tirelessly introduced China's epidemic prevention experience to Egyptian generals, production managers, laboratory directors, and other management personnel, and repeatedly told Egyptian employees about the severe harm of improper behaviors such as not wearing masks. His unremitting efforts have finally borne fruits. Gradually, Egyptian personnel have developed the habit of wearing masks. Various epidemic prevention measures have also been properly handled and implemented.

Jin Xin has worked hard around the year. During his 12-year work in Egypt, he only went back to China for vacation 7 times and only spent one Spring Festival with his family. He devoted all his time and energy to the GOE project in Egypt. “No complaints, no regrets, and consistency” is his true portrayal. Along the way, he faced different challenges. Calm thinking and witty decoupling have become his problem-solving style. Under his leadership, every member of the project team has been dedicated and diligent, practicing their promises to the owner with practical actions, and contributing their wisdom and strength to TCDRI’s international business development.