Saint Austrian Furniture: Grow in Learning

Ni Liangzheng, a peasant who did not have a high degree of education, started his business in 1991 with tens of thousands of yuan and led Sennics to grow into a multi-billion-dollar furniture manufacturing and real estate diversified group company, and lives in office furniture The reason for the top three positions in the domestic market is that continuous learning with employees and learning how to learn is one of the key driving forces for Sennics' growth.

Peter Senge, the founder of the learning organization theory, described the learning organization in this way: In it, everyone can constantly break through the upper limit of their own abilities, create the results they truly yearn for, cultivate a new, forward-looking and open way of thinking, and make every effort to achieve A shared ambition, and a constant learning together how to learn.

Ni Liangzheng has a deep understanding of the importance of learning: "The competition in the future is the competition of talents, a group of knowledgeable people, and in the final analysis, a group of people's competition for learning. If you want to win in the competition, There must be an excellent team, bold innovation, and continuous learning.” This is what Ni Liangzheng said when Sennics and Nanjing Forestry University established Sennics Furniture Management College.

Building an original research and development team

On June 3, 2009, Sennics Beijing Branch won the bid for China Life's office furniture procurement project at a price of 10.33 million yuan. In the environment where the economic situation is not optimistic, Sennics can still win the market and lay the foundation for continuous growth in 2009, relying on the achievements of continuous scientific and technological innovation. The winning "Lingyu" series of office furniture products is a demonstration of Sennics' comprehensive strength in the field of R&D and production.

"Lingyu" series is a high-end intelligent solid wood furniture. It solves the common problems of office furniture such as wire entanglement, many keyholes, and complicated handles. It has functions such as storage, display, electronic induction, and concealed wiring. Advantages, integrated refrigerator, safe, computer, multi-function strong and weak current junction box. The whole series of products can't find the lock hole, and only need an inductive smart card to control the lock position. This newly authorized patented product won the Gold Award for Functional Innovation at this year's Guangzhou International Furniture Fair.

The department responsible for patent applications is Sennics' Technology Center. Since its establishment, the technology center has always adhered to original design, undertaken the company's product development work, established long-term cooperative relations with many large international furniture research and development institutions such as Japan, Germany, Italy and Sweden, and has a special planned development project laboratory. Sennics' developer ratio has always remained at 10%. In 2009, due to the impact of the financial crisis, many companies have slowed down the pace of patent applications, but Sennics has increased research and development expenses instead, seeking benefits from technology, and has applied for patents in the first quarter. More than 20 items.

As of the end of last year, the company has applied for more than 180 patents, and the number of authorized patents has reached more than 160. In 2008, more than 60 applications were filed, and 42 patents were granted, including 17 utility models and 25 design patents, ranking the top ten in Hangzhou enterprises and township patents.

In 2002, when the technology center was established, Sennics was in the initial stage of development. Through the investigation of the market, I felt that the era of "copying", "counterfeiting" and "imitation" had passed, and foreign furniture brands were developing through technology and The way of capital penetrated into China, and the furniture market was flooded with foreign brands. Through contact with international customers, Ni Liangzheng realized that in the world, the furniture manufacturing industry is a high-tech industry, definitely not a low value-added industry. The application of new functional materials and the continuous innovation of furniture design are two growth points for furniture products to increase the added value. Looking at himself, Ni Liangzheng believes that Sennics must be in line with international standards, so Sennics continues to cooperate with design schools with advanced experience, and takes the lead in the industry to put forward the proposition of "original furniture", and cooperates with well-known European design companies to introduce design concept.

In 2005, Sennics optimized the technological innovation system and divided it into six departments: solid wood R&D, fireproof board R&D, screen R&D, chair R&D, sofa R&D and civil R&D. 70 people, 5 overseas experts and 3 domestic experts in the field of furniture materials. In November 2006, the post-doctoral mobile workstation of Nanjing Forestry University was settled in Sennics. In March 2007, Sennics and Zhejiang Forestry University jointly established a scientific research center and started a comprehensive cooperation between production, education and research.

This year, under the guidance of Zhang Qisheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Sennics has successfully developed "U+ Finishing Technology Furniture" through nearly three years of hard work at a cost of tens of millions of yuan. This new technology has the characteristics of zero formaldehyde, high temperature resistance, scratch resistance, corrosion resistance, moist and clear, etc. It has entered the production stage and participated in the application of Hangzhou high-tech productization project as a new energy and new material project.

Cultivating talents who can learn

As a technical leader, Academician Zhang Qisheng talked about the opportunity for cooperation in that year, and mentioned the unique cooperation model established by Sennics and professional colleges - Saint Auban. "High-end interior decoration, superior learning conditions, standardized management procedures, monthly allowances for students, free food, housing, and travel, and subsidies during the period, students are welcome to work at Sennics after graduation, and they can also go to peers. "That approach caught his attention.

On June 21, 2009, Zhejiang Forestry College held the first "Saint Auban" graduation ceremony. In the past year, the students of St. Auban have not only completed the courses prescribed by the school, but also used their spare time to receive the guidance of the R&D staff of Sennics to learn furniture design, research and development, management, marketing, etc., and participate in furniture design through visiting furniture exhibitions. Competition, master the knowledge and skills of furniture design. The plum blossom chair designed by student Chai Xiaodong and others won the bronze medal in the 2007 Golden Axe Furniture Design Award Competition, the highest award in the furniture industry.

Human resources manager Zhu Jieqing introduced that the company will pay three grades A, B and C monthly study allowances for students who are selected to enter Saint Ao's classes, of which grade C is 200 yuan per person per month, and the other two grades are based on Corresponding performance is distributed, and the company also grants bonuses ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 yuan for each item, depending on the practical skills mastered by the students during the learning process. And the students' learning performance, personal growth and work attitude are evaluated and ranked. Through comprehensive assessment, Sennics selected 6 outstanding students with strong comprehensive qualities and clear will to work in the company. Regarding the purpose of holding "Saint Aoban", Ni Liangzheng said: "The reason why Sennics Group can continue to grow and has always been in the forefront of the domestic furniture industry is that we rely on talents. Class', what we consider is to cultivate more talents for the development of the furniture industry, which is also the responsibility of our furniture enterprise."

In 2009, Sennics plans to study from Nanjing Forestry University, China Academy of Art, Zhejiang Forestry College, Zhongnan Forestry University More than 200 fresh graduates are recruited from colleges and other institutions of higher learning, engaged in workshop production management, product design, product marketing and other work. In the situation that many companies cut wages and layoffs this year, Sennics has instead added 200 jobs to fresh college students. Ni Liangzheng has his own explanation: "The overall cultural level of practitioners in the furniture industry is not high. International synchronization requires adjusting the talent structure, introducing a large number of highly educated talents, and recruiting fresh graduates because it is relatively simple to shape. At the same time, college students have a characteristic. When they encounter problems that cannot be solved at work, they have the ability to learn and can pass We can find solutions in various ways." He emphasized: "These 200 fresh graduates should have the ability to endure hardship, be innovative, and be willing to work in the workshop."

Lean production stimulates the ability of all employees

Sennics develops In the past 18 years, the company has gone through the process of starting from scratch, but to realize the corporate vision of "Centennial Sennics", it also needs a healthy and sustainable system and process. Especially in the face of the adjustment of national policies, the fluctuation of raw material costs and labor costs, and the changes in the market with multiple varieties and small batches, Sennics decided to start with 6S production site management and gradually promote the JIT (Just In Time) lean production model.

Since the introduction of the lean production model on July 21, 2008, great changes have taken place in the workshop. The employees can consciously correct the unreasonable phenomena on the site, and quickly change from "I want to do it" to "I want to do it." ”; from mechanically looking for problems, gradually transitioning to consciously looking for problems; from initially resisting JIT to actively adapting to JIT. Sennics managers have also undergone great changes in their management roles, from supervising the behavior of employees to stimulating the intelligence of employees, allowing employees to work with their brains, and making management more interesting.

Once a management idea is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, it can produce unexpected results. "In the process of JIT implementation, we found the joy of innovation," is the common voice of the employees. The sofa workshop employees Chen Zhanglin and Zhang Shihua found in their work that some hardware in the molding and installation group of the sofa workshop had no signs, and the hardware boxes were placed in a mess, which was neither neat nor beautiful, and there were potential safety hazards. They make special sliding door accessory cabinets and place the hardware in different categories, which not only has the effect of being numerous and orderly, convenient and quick to use, but also effectively saves energy. This method quickly spread throughout the plant.

Aiming at the problem of unsightly labeling of the formwork frame, Qiu Huanbing of the second workshop of fireproof board made the formwork frame logo symmetrical, posted neatly and flatly; the packaging group of the paint workshop made a removable plastic bag for the problem of easy damage and inconvenience The iron frame, in which the foam waste plastic bags are placed, is not only convenient to move, but also conforms to the ergonomic principle... Since the promotion of JIT management, the improvement proposal points of the six workshops have reached hundreds.

At the beginning of JIT production, many employees in the workshop found it troublesome. Now they are used to sorting various accessories, and the flow of parts is more smooth. Through the implementation of JIT production management, Sennics' front-line production employees have learned judgment in sorting, saving in rectification, standardization in cleaning, institutionalization in cleaning, etiquette in literacy, and etiquette in operation. Learn to be safe. When each manager leaves their seats, they naturally return their chairs and clear their desks. 6S management in JIT production has become a habit. Some even brought home many good practices of 6S management, making family life orderly and harmonious.

In the past few months, the company has come to the conclusion in the implementation of JIT production: the change of the environment has prompted the change of the employees' mood and concept, and also promoted the high-standard environment construction and management extension. This kind of virtuous circle has greatly promoted the in-depth development of JIT, and injected inexhaustible impetus into the continuous improvement and continuous improvement of the comprehensive management level of the enterprise.

Inspection and training broaden management horizons

Sennics will spend 0.5% of sales as training expenses every year to provide financial support for employees to train in well-known foreign brand companies, international exhibitions, and domestic professional institutions. On the basis of previous labor discipline, work attitude, work ability and work performance, the selection criteria for outstanding front-line employees in 2008 included work innovation (proposal improvement, work improvement) as an important evaluation indicator.

Sennic has sent staff delegations to Japan PLUS three times to learn the production and management knowledge of order system, standard working hours measurement, quality control, 6S management, hardware packaging and distribution, equipment maintenance and so on. Talking about PLUS, Ni Liangzheng still remembers that Sennic's first foreign order business came from Japan PLUS, "In 2002, I went to Guangzhou to participate in the furniture fair, the first time I participated in the exhibition, I didn't receive any business, and the second time I participated in Japan's PLUS furniture. The factory feels that our equipment is good, and they want us to make orders for two containers. We are still doing business with them, but we have not made any money."

Even if they offered money, Ni Liangzheng was willing to do business with Japanese companies. "Because I can learn their integrity, management, and train the team." The first batch of the foreign order was processed before the Spring Festival, but under the high standards of the discerning Japanese manufacturers, all of them were unqualified and returned. In the twenty-eighth year, Ni Liangzheng brought a chicken from his hometown to eat with the Japanese staff in charge of quality inspection, but the Japanese shed tears because they failed to complete the company's task and shipped the goods on time before the Spring Festival. Ni Liangzheng was deeply touched by his sense of work responsibility. "Since then, we have made a lot of internal and external orders, which have improved our level, and established a good reputation for quality in China. The quality is stable and the delivery is on time. The sweetness is the sweetness after the bitterness."

" Going out of the workshop is the domestic market, and going out of the factory is the international market. If you need to show the strength to compete internationally, it must be reflected in your actions." Ni Liangzheng has always believed that "there are people outside people, there are heaven outside people". When Sennics has done a good job in a large scale, he will let them go out of the factory and enter the international advanced furniture factory to analyze the gaps and find their own shortcomings.

Brand manager Chai Weilong recalled, "When everyone thought that furniture manufacturing was a labor-intensive industry, we went to a furniture factory in Europe to visit and study. There were only 4 workers in a huge furniture workshop, but the monthly output value reached 2 With tens of millions of euros, workers can even drink coffee and come back after starting the production line, relying on standardization and advanced industrialization. At that time, we realized that China's furniture industry is 20 to 30 years behind Europe." The reason why Austrian strives to promote JIT lean production to improve production level.

The genes that Ni Liangzheng learns come from a zeroing mentality. In 1991, he went to Hangzhou to help others build furniture. At that time, he had to build furniture and sell it at a price in the market. Earning a few thousand yuan was already a lot of business. It was the domestic market that taught him to focus on order-based office work. Furniture production, a rapidly growing field, and later the international market taught him standard production and scientific management.

The annual sales of Sennics Group in 2007 exceeded 600 million yuan. In 2008, the sales of furniture increased by 32% year-on-year, and the net profit margin was 9.7%. The annual increase in employee wages is about 10%. The company will also allocate 30% of the bonus at the end of the year, and will also give 40% of the subsidy to employees who buy commercial housing in the company's real estate projects. Tired, how to be a Saint Austrian? If you are not harmonious, rich, or unhappy, who will be a Saint Austrian!” entrepreneurial spirit.

In the process of continuous learning, Ni Liangzheng grew up with Sennics, which he founded.

The "Lingyu" series has many advantages such as concealed wiring.

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