In the height of summer in July, the Zero One Science and Technology Park is bathed in scorching sunlight, punctuated by the incessant chirping of cicadas—a backdrop that perfectly mirrors the passionate dedication and relentless effort of the people working hard here.

From July 16 to 23, 2019, Zhengda Machinery & Electronics grandly held its 2019 Mid-Year Series of Events at its headquarters in Foshan, within the Guangdong Lingyi Science and Technology Park. The event consisted of seven components: new employee training, a mid-year summary conference, a New Zealand sharing session, a general manager succession program, an inter-departmental talent development class, advanced financial training for senior managers, and customer relationship management training.

I. New Employee Training Section

To help new employees gain a better understanding of the company, experience its corporate culture, and quickly integrate into their roles, from July 16 to 19, 38 new colleagues from various subsidiaries gathered at the International Conference Center on the 4th floor of Building 1 in Zero One Science and Technology Park to participate in a four-day, three-night onboarding training program led by a powerful team of 10 instructors, including Wang Zhenghu, President of Foshan Zhengda Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhengda Mechanical & Electrical”), Lin Yi, General Manager of Guangdong Zero One Industrial Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zero One Industrial”), Lian Canhuan, General Manager of Siemens Motor Division, and Hu Qiuyuan, Deputy General Manager of Foshan Zhengda Automation Equipment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhengda Automation”).

(Group photo of new employee training)

“The day’s plan is laid in the morning.” At 6:30 a.m. on July 17, a group of energetic and enthusiastic individuals appeared on the circular track in the campus. The new employees welcomed their first day of training with a morning run, setting the tone for an exciting start.

In the morning, President Wang Zhenghu delivered a lecture titled “Knowledge Is Power.” Drawing on his 22-year journey of struggle, he elaborated in detail on the relationship between thinking, behavior, habits, and outcomes: success stems from the accumulation of knowledge, and learning is the very source of entrepreneurship. During the interactive exchange, he encouraged everyone to be diligent and thrifty, keep accurate records, and put forth no less effort than anyone else.

In the afternoon, General Manager Lian Chan-huan and Deputy General Manager Hu Qiu-yuan shared their insights into the company’s culture, drawing on their personal growth stories and the department’s development journey, and offered numerous pieces of advice to the new employees.

In the evening, Director Huang Xuehua from the office taught everyone with ease and humor about etiquette in both daily life and the workplace, providing analysis of numerous real-life cases to help everyone understand more quickly and effectively!

While continuing the morning run from the first day, July 18th featured primarily Manager Ye Xiaohong from the Marketing Department sharing her knowledge on “Customer Credit Assessment Management,” along with Supervisor Feng Mingjun’s “BPM Skills Training,” as well as a close-knit, face-to-face exchange session between new and veteran employees.

On the morning of July 19, General Manager Lin Yishu delivered a presentation titled “Company Development and Corporate Culture,” covering Zhengda’s development journey, its core culture, strategic planning, and personal growth. General Manager Lin spoke eloquently and engagingly, captivating the audience. In the afternoon, we attended a financial knowledge training session that proved incredibly insightful and rewarding!

We hope that each new employee, after undergoing this systematic new-employee training over the next few days, will quickly integrate into the work team and embrace the corporate culture of CPME. May you remain proactive, never lose your drive, and fully realize your personal value in your job—steadfastly moving forward alongside the company!

II. The Mid-Year Summary Conference Section

Summarizing and reflecting on our experiences fosters progress, while learning from others and drawing on their insights helps us grow together. On the morning of July 20-21, the 2019 Mid-Year Summary Meeting of Zhengda Machinery & Electronics was solemnly held at the headquarters, Guangdong Lingyi Science and Technology Park. A total of 110 key employees at the supervisor level and above from Zhengda Machinery & Electronics and its subsidiaries attended the meeting.

The leaders attending the mid-year meeting include: Wang Zhenghu, President of CP Machinery & Electronics; Lin Yi, General Manager of Zero One Industry; Lian Canhuan, General Manager of Siemens Motor Division; Peng Jinsong, General Manager of CP Automation; You Rongzhu, General Manager of Dongguan Dasheng Automation Equipment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Dongguan Dasheng”); Lei Yuqiang, Director of the Human Resources Department and General Manager of Guangdong Zero One Real Estate Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zero One Real Estate”); Ms. Pan Shaohong, Manager of the Audit Department at CP Machinery & Electronics and CFO of Zero One Industry; Mr. Cha Yu, CEO of Foshan Chengpu Management Consulting & Services Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Chengpu JinFu”), and 27 other leaders.

At the meeting, General Manager Lin Yi first delivered a work summary report on Zero One Industry’s performance in the first half of the year. General Manager Lin reviewed the sales and profit achievements for the first half of the year and summarized the shortcomings identified during this period. Following that, General Manager Lin outlined three key priorities for the second half of the year: advancing the training system, upgrading the information systems, and streamlining supply chain operations. Finally, from three perspectives—strategy and supply chain, resources and supply chain, and professional capabilities and supply chain—General Manager Lin shared in detail how to effectively manage the supply chain and encouraged all business teams to make no less than anyone else’s effort.

(Lin Yi, General Manager, delivers a work summary report for the first half of the year for Zero One Industry.)

During the 2018-2019 “Year of Talent,” the company successively invested substantial funds in talent acquisition and development. Consequently, how to nurture, retain, and effectively utilize talent has become an urgent priority. To strengthen the training and development of current employees, deepen and optimize the company’s talent strategy, and establish a talent competency model, Director Lei Yuqiang from the Human Resources Department of Zhengda Machinery & Electronics unveiled Zhengda Machinery & Electronics’ talent training system and job-level system. As this system is progressively implemented, the company will build a more robust human resources framework, thereby ensuring its sustainable development.

Next, President Wang Zhenghu delivered a lecture on customer relationship management and supply chain management. The core business model of Zhengda Machinery & Electronics’ industrial sector is agency and trade. For Zhengda Machinery & Electronics to become a leader in the electromechanical trading industry in the Greater Bay Area, customer relationship management and supply chain management are absolutely critical. Competition in this industry is, in essence, competition among entire industrial chains. Only by making efforts no less than those of anyone else—and seizing the historic opportunity presented by “Made in China 2025”—can Zhengda Machinery & Electronics rise to become a first-class, comprehensive service provider of industrial products in China.

After a half-day of rich and informative summaries and sharing sessions, in the afternoon, attendees from both business and support teams immediately engaged in small-group discussions to reinforce their learning and deepen their understanding. Drawing on the actual situations of their respective companies or departments, participants identified gaps and explored potential improvement measures. Meanwhile, managers at the department head level and above from functional departments conducted self-assessments for the first half of the year, focusing on how to create greater value for the business units. Everyone actively participated, engaging in lively and spirited discussions, and offering valuable suggestions and insights aimed at optimizing the company’s business development and support functions.

On July 21, representatives from each group shared the outcomes of the previous day’s breakout discussions. President Wang Zhenghu provided insightful guidance and commentary on everyone’s summarized findings.

(Group representative Liu Junxiao, the supervisor, presents the results of the group discussion.)

  Three New Zealand Sharing Session Chapter

To encourage everyone to broaden their international horizons and carry forward the corporate culture that hard work leads to a happy life, the mid-year summary meeting featured a special concluding segment: a New Zealand travel-sharing session. Hu Qiuyuan, Deputy General Manager of Zhengyi Automation; Shi Hao, General Manager of Foshan Bearing; Ouyang Gui’an, Deputy General Manager; Liu Yi, General Manager of Dongguan Bearing; and Lu Zaiqing, General Manager of the Shunde Branch, each delivered fascinating accounts of their 2019 trips to New Zealand. With humorous and witty descriptions and captivating glimpses of breathtaking scenery, the presentation instantly transported everyone to the magical realms of New Zealand and Fiji—where the azure waters, vivid sunsets, and pristine air made it an unparalleled and exquisite journey.

(General Manager Lu Zaiqing shares his travel experiences in New Zealand and Fiji.)

The one-and-a-half-day Zhengda Machinery & Electronics 2019 Mid-Year Conference came to a close with an engaging sharing session on New Zealand activities. The event was packed with exciting and fulfilling activities, leaving everyone feeling both satisfied and eager for more. It also further ignited everyone’s determination: as long as we work diligently and strive hard, a bright future will surely be ours.

IV. Cross-Department Talent Development Section

To identify and cultivate a group of talents with greater potential for advancement during the promotion and inheritance of the corporate culture, on the afternoon of July 21, 31 key trainees from various units under Zhengda Machinery & Electronics attended the opening ceremony and inaugural course for cross-department talent development at the International Conference Center of Zero One Science and Technology Park. Also attending the event were seven leaders (rotating mentors) and three specially invited guests: Lin Yi, General Manager of Zero One Industrial; Lian Canhuan, General Manager of Siemens Motor Division; Lu Zaiqing, General Manager of Shunde Branch; Shi Hao, General Manager of Foshan Bearing; You Rongzhu, General Manager of Dongguan Dasheng Automation; Peng Jinsong, General Manager of Zhengda Automation; and Hu Qiuyuan, Deputy General Manager of Zhengda Machinery & Electronics; as well as Lei Yuqiang, Director of the Human Resources Department of Zhengda Machinery & Electronics; Li Yuan, Assistant to the General Manager of Zero One Industrial; and Wang Yijian, General Manager of Chengdu Nengda Technology Co., Ltd.

At the very beginning of the training session, General Manager Lei provided an overview of the background behind cross-departmental talent development. Following that, General Manager Li, on behalf of the trainees in the succession planning program, shared their learning activities as well as their personal growth and key takeaways. Five trainee representatives—Chen Guojian from Foshan Bearing, Liang Guangzhi from Zhengyi Automation, Li Dan from Changsha Lingyi, Luo Weidong from Siemens Motor Division, and Zhang Yingqiong from Lingyi Industrial Finance Department—each shared their personal aspirations for future growth. In turn, the mentors and General Manager Wang also offered their words of encouragement and expressed their expectations for the participants.

Subsequently, General Lin used his personal experiences at Zhengda to illustrate the role and significance of cross-departmental development; at the same time, he put forward three requirements that everyone must implement rigorously.

Finally, with the election of the class committee members, the opening ceremony came to a successful conclusion.

At 4:30 p.m., General Lin delivered the first session of talent development, themed “Perspective.” He encouraged all participants to broaden their perspectives and pursue higher aspirations. First, General Lin emphasized the importance of benchmarking—clearly identifying the right benchmarks and keeping the bigger picture in mind is crucial for handling matters appropriately. Second, he suggested that reflecting on oneself three times each day using the “Three-Reflection Method” can greatly help one adopt a more empathetic and balanced approach, enabling better decision-making and judgment. Finally, General Lin highlighted the significance of perspective by providing specific examples related to the five dimensions: the height of one’s spiritual realm, the breadth of one’s heart, the width of one’s vision, the depth of one’s thinking, and the strength of one’s execution.

(Lin Yi, General Manager, delivers a lecture on “Perspective” to cross-departmental talent training participants.)

This exchange event lasted until 8 p.m., yet the participants still felt it wasn’t long enough and are looking forward to learning even more at the next event. Cross-department talent development is precisely about the rich integration of diverse perspectives.

V. The Successor to the General Manager

In the afternoon of July 21, just after the mid-year summary meeting concluded, President Wang Zhenghu took time out from his busy schedule to attend the fifth session of the Zhengda Machinery & Electronics 2019 Successor Exchange Program, held at the International Conference Center on the fourth floor of Zero One Science and Technology Park. A total of 16 people participated in this successor exchange program, including 6 from the Group’s financial sector and 10 from the industrial sector.

The exchange activity kicked off, and each participant engaged in deep self-reflection centered around the theme of “criticism and self-criticism.” General Manager Wang emphasized that successful people are those who aren’t afraid of hardship, aren’t afraid of suffering losses, and aren’t afraid of being wronged. They dare to break free from constraints, aren’t afraid of failure, and must avoid making two kinds of mistakes: fatal errors and repeated mistakes. To achieve sustainable development, one should pursue growth steadily—earn more money but distribute less, then earn even more, and delay gratification; only by doing so can one maintain lasting happiness.

Subsequently, the incoming successors engaged in a discussion centered around cases of departing company managers. General Manager Wang emphasized: “The people who leave aren’t necessarily unqualified; rather, those who stay are the most suitable—those whose values align with ours. As the saying goes, ‘Running water doesn’t stagnate, and a door hinge doesn’t get worm-eaten.’ Reasonable personnel turnover isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the company, and for those who leave, it might even turn out to be a good thing.”

General Wang’s explanation was both profound and easy to understand, vivid and engaging. The participants listened with rapt attention, as if they had finally found the long-awaited rain after a prolonged drought, eagerly absorbing the life experiences and management insights shared by President Wang. They also raised their own questions about challenges they’ve encountered in their work. President Wang patiently and thoroughly addressed each of these queries, emphasizing to the participants: “It’s not enough just to know or to understand—you must also put it into practice. The key is to apply the knowledge you’ve gained in class to your actual business and daily work.” After the event concluded, all the participants expressed that every time they attended President Wang’s lectures, they felt as though they were bathed in a gentle spring breeze—enlightened, enlightened, and suddenly seeing things more clearly. They noted that the experiences and knowledge shared by the President could be quickly applied to their real-world work and yielded excellent results.

(President Wang Zhenghu shares his experience and knowledge with the trainees who will succeed as general managers.)

During the dinner session, everyone planned that the next succession program activity would involve a trip to another city, putting into practice General Manager Wang’s guiding principle of “reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles.” This would not only help participants relax but also broaden their horizons. The exchange event lasted until 8:30 p.m., yet the participants still felt it wasn’t long enough and eagerly look forward to the next event, hoping to learn even more experience and knowledge from the president and senior leaders of Charoen Pokphand Group.

VI. Financial Training for Senior Managers

The only constant is change itself. In the 21st century, in the age of big data and the internet, the world is speaking through data. Yet, how we can leverage data to uncover problems and identify directions behind business development is something worth pondering and delving into deeply.

On the morning of July 22, the company held a financial training session for general managers in the conference room on the 10th floor of Zero One Science and Technology Park. This training focused on understanding the essence of business operations through financial statements, starting from actual business practices. The trainers included Mr. Lin Yi, General Manager of Zero One Industry; Ms. Pan Shaohong, CFO of Zero One Industry; and Ms. Li Minyi, Financial Manager of Zero One Industry. Attending the training were the following executives: Mr. Li Wenxing, General Manager of the Changsha Branch; Mr. You Rongzhu, General Manager of Dongguan Dasheng; Mr. Wang Yijian, General Manager of Chengdu Nengda; Mr. Wang Hailong, General Manager of Xi'an Zhengyi Long; and Mr. Xi Xiaopeng, Deputy General Manager of Xi'an Zhengyi Long.

Financial Manager Li Minyi analyzed suppliers’ procurement patterns and policies from a financial perspective, concluding that to effectively plan procurement funds and inventory arrangements, it is essential to thoroughly understand the specific rules and regulations governing suppliers. You Rongzhu, General Manager of Dongguan Dasheng, also shared, based on his many years of practical experience, how to maximize the support and resources provided by suppliers.

Next, Pan Shaohong, CFO of Zero One Industry, started with fundamental financial knowledge and gradually moved on to analyzing financial statements. She pointed out that the seemingly cold numbers on financial statements actually reflect key aspects of business operations, such as customer structure, product mix, and payment terms. Moreover, fluctuations in critical financial indicators reveal issues like corporate funding risks and internal control risks.

Lin Yi, General Manager of Zero One Industry, also pointed out to the general managers participating in this financial training that business operators must not only focus on running their core business but also integrate multiple factors such as the market environment and financial data. In addition to being able to interpret the operational issues revealed by financial statements, they must also address these issues from a practical operational perspective—after all, running a business ultimately comes down to making tangible, real-world progress.

(Silhouette of Senior Manager Financial Training)

The exchange event lasted until 12 noon, yet the general managers still felt it wasn’t long enough and suggested that further communication and exchanges on financial knowledge would be needed to deepen understanding and enhance skills.

VII. Customer Relationship Management Training Section

Since March 2019, after the company invited Teacher Liu Hongtao to deliver the “Sales Skills Enhancement Training,” which received unanimous acclaim, on July 22–23, the company once again invited Teacher Liu to visit the conference room on the 4th floor of Building 1 at Lingyi Science and Technology Park to conduct a training course on “Customer Relationship Management.” During this session, Teacher Liu shared with our sales colleagues the principles of sales communication as well as the logical thinking behind customer relationship management.

On July 22, Teacher Liu delivered a lecture on the specific characteristics of sales communication, its basic models, the Johari Window, and the impact of communication styles. Throughout the session, Teacher Liu drew upon years of sales experience and real-life observations to vividly and engagingly answer questions and clarify doubts for each participant. Even on the first day of the course, every participant was already thoroughly excited and enthusiastic.

The next day, Teacher Liu used the approach of role-playing visits to unfamiliar customers as a starting point to summarize three key principles for building interpersonal relationships: the Silver Rule, the Golden Rule, and the Platinum Rule. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the customer procurement process in sales activities, greatly benefiting the participants and helping them clarify previously overlooked areas in their work.

(A group photo of instructor Liu Hongtao and the trainees from the Customer Relationship Management training)

After the course concluded, Teacher Liu emphasized that the participants must put the knowledge and tools they’ve learned into practical use at work—applying what they’ve learned to real-world situations—and strive for ultimate success rather than merely seeking the quickest path to success.

In 2019, Zhengda is walking alongside you—every one of us is a striver, a dream-chaser running tirelessly toward our goals!