African Entrepreneurship Records

Chapter 580 Dar es Salaam State-owned Cable Factory No. 1

 City of Dar es Salaam.

“Director Mori, how is your factory’s performance this year?”

“Reporting to Director Waltz, our production capacity this year has increased by nearly 7% compared with last year, and foreign trade orders have increased by approximately 3%, especially goods from the Far East and other regions have increased rapidly.”

“Tell me more specifically, why is your factory’s performance so good this year?”

"It's mainly from two aspects. One is that this year we have recruited many middle school graduates. They have high academic qualifications, strong learning ability, and it is easy to join the work. This has greatly alleviated the pressure of our shortage of people. This has solved the problem of no one in the factory before. Another aspect of the awkward situation is that our workers’ skills will become more and more skilled over time.”

“Well, you’re right. Once the human problem is solved, it’s reasonable to increase production capacity. But have you solved the machine problem? Is it enough?”

"Most of our machines are shipped directly from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, mainly provided by Hechingen Electric Power Company or Siemens. Before the establishment of the factory, most of them were sent by Hechingen Electric Power Company to direct people, so in terms of equipment, we have not encountered any problems. What kind of resistance? As for the machines, don’t worry about it. There is still a production line that we are not using, and we will continue to recruit people this year!”

Waltz nodded and said: "In other words, the production machines and equipment in your factory are actually surplus. Then why don't you replenish the corresponding workers now? Ordinary workers can't do it. You must find middle school students?"

"Director Waltz, it's not that our factory has high requirements, but that the Ministry of Industry has such requirements. Because we are involved in foreign trade, the Ministry of Industry also has high requirements for the first factory, so we cannot be careless in the selection of workers. This We don’t need many workers with middle school education, but less is really not enough because we need to ensure product quality.”

 “What’s the secret here?”

"Let's just say that production equipment requires a lot of professional knowledge, otherwise you can't even understand the instructions, let alone the operation of the machine, and you must have a certain reserve of physics and chemistry, otherwise the technicians and workers in the factory will Explain what's wrong, if the other person doesn't understand, then why not just play the piano with the other person and work around!"

Only then did Waltz understand, and he said to Morrie: "Does that mean you can't play with these machines without a certain amount of cultural knowledge?"

Mori shook his head and said: "It's not that simple. Not only do you need to have a certain level of knowledge and culture, but you also need to have some understanding of electricity and physics. Of course, you don't need to have a deep understanding. After all, the problems encountered in production and learning are very difficult. Just like our factory, we mainly serve these stupid, bulky machinery and equipment, and these machinery and equipment are not accessible to students in textbooks."

Waltz very much agrees with this point: "I also went to elementary school in Germany, and I know a little bit about learning. It is indeed not easy, but the most important thing is to learn to write and read. This is of great help in life. But since I came to East Africa, I have almost returned all my previous knowledge.”

Morrie: "Haha, Director Waltz, the things learned in this middle school are very different from those in elementary school, and many middle school students in East Africa have practical courses. Several schools like the city's No. 1 Middle School and No. 2 Middle School have students who come to our factory for internships every year. quota, so their ability to be exposed to new things is much better than those of us who are older.”

"Well, yes! In today's era, things are changing so fast, with trains, ships, and large factories. Our generation is fortunate to have witnessed the rapid development of Germany and East Africa. I used to be from Hanover, the family of the factory director Mori Where is it from?"

Maury replied: "I am from Baden, in South Germany."

"Then Director Mori must have witnessed the rapid development of Germany and East Africa like me?" Mori denied: "That's not true. Before immigrating to East Africa, my family was farmers for generations, and I myself have never entered the country. Then there was a year of drought and the grain harvest failed, so my family followed suit and joined the people immigrating to East Africa, so I really haven’t seen the development of German industry in the German region.”

This surprised Waltz. He said to Mori: "Then how did you become the director of the factory when you came to East Africa?"

Morrie explained: "I was in the army before, but I have one advantage, that is, I am studious. Later, the army recommended me to study in the school. Director Waltz, do you know about international students?"

Waltz: "Of course I know this, so you were sent to Germany to study at public expense and then became the director of a factory?"

Morrie said: "It's not that simple. The main reason is that I have performed several meritorious services on the battlefield. Later, I was injured and could not exercise strenuously, so I had to retire. However, because of my strong learning ability, the army helped me apply. Got a place to study abroad.”

Waltz: "Then you were assigned to be the factory director directly after graduation?"

Morrie: "There must have been some twists and turns. The main reason is that I later entered the Hechingen Electric Power Company as an intern for a period of time. After returning to East Africa, I had military experience plus the Hechingen Electric Power Company internship experience, so the superiors gave me This is the factory manager."

It's easy for Morrie to say it, but these things all show that his archival experience is relatively brilliant. Those who can be recommended by the military to study abroad generally have a lot of credit. And Morrie's being able to become the director of the factory shows that he has served in East Africa for a long time. Very early.

In this regard, Waltz believes that it is very likely that Morrie was already an officer in the army during the colonial era, otherwise it would be impossible for him to be the director of the No. 1 Cable Factory in Dar es Salaam.

 So Waltz said to Morrie: "Director Morrie, what was your previous position in the army?"

 Morrie: “I was the battalion commander the year I retired.”

Waltz: "That's right, then your comrades must not be simple either."

Mori didn't say anything, but just smiled. The officers in East Africa are definitely not simple. Even after retirement, it's just that he was able to become the director of the first state-owned cable factory in Dar es Salaam. It was a lot of luck. But he is indeed much luckier than many East Africans.

After learning about some of Mory's personal privacy issues, Waltz's attitude toward Mory changed drastically. He said to Mory: "Director Mory, you also know that the No. 1 Cable State-owned Cable Factory in Dar es Salaam is owned by the Ministry of Industry. As well as the national key enterprises registered in the province, most of the production capacity is given priority to local use, but it is somewhat inferior in terms of external exports. Recently, our Ministry of Foreign Trade has a big order in the Far East, which requires a batch of submarine cables. The above requires us to use Self-produced products, brother, that’s why I came here this time.”

Morrie said: "Then how many do you need?"

Waltz: "That's a lot of work. It's mainly about laying a submarine cable in the Far East. The distance is certainly not short, and the quality of materials is required. So your production tasks next year will be very heavy."

 (End of this chapter)