Last night, at the invitation of a high school female classmate, my wife and I visited her company. The main purpose was to taste the cured meat, local eggs, and other delicacies she brought from her hometown. During the meal, we also took the opportunity to tour the company. Although I often visit companies in my work, most of the time it’s for serious business activities. Even when there are dining and touring components, they tend to be quite restrained, rarely allowing for a relaxed mindset like this visit.

This is a company engaged in the trade of stainless steel products, backed by Hongwang Holding Group Co., Ltd., one of the top 500 Chinese enterprises. It is a typical family-owned business. My classmate is the general manager of one of the trading companies under this enterprise, mainly responsible for domestic sales. In addition, the company’s stainless steel products, such as furniture and decorative building materials made of stainless steel materials, are also sold to countries like Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

Hongwang Holding Group

I had heard of the Hongwang Group’s reputation many years ago. It is a successful example of Hunanese people going south to Guangdong for work and entrepreneurship after the reform and opening-up. The founder hails from Shuangfeng County, my hometown. In addition to establishing roots in Guangdong, the company has also given back to its hometown by investing in the construction of a large-scale manufacturing enterprise in the Shuangfeng County Development Zone, solving the local employment issues for many Shuangfeng residents.

As a corporate group specializing in the production of cold-rolled stainless steel, silicon steel, and supporting fine processing products, Hongwang Group ranks 459th among the 2023 China Top 500 Enterprises and 241st among the China Top 500 Manufacturing Enterprises. It enjoys a good reputation in the industry.

Mellow Group

This company is located on the top floor of the Foshan New City Xinbao Building, occupying two floors of office space. During the company tour, the clean, tidy, and modern atmosphere left a deep impression on me. Especially the small garden built on the rooftop of a high-rise office building, which indeed had a unique charm.

Additionally, in our conversation, I learned that although the company appears to lean towards a modern management model in many aspects, it still retains the humanized characteristics of traditional manufacturing enterprises. For example, the company provides free accommodation and meal subsidies for all employees, and the boss has specially purchased dozens of fully furnished apartments for employees to live in.

Classmate

This classmate is someone my wife and I both knew from high school, in the same class. Although she was a girl, during our school days, she exuded an extraordinary aura that commanded the scene, with a cheerful and outgoing personality. Her only shortcoming was her slightly weaker academic performance. After graduation, although we all worked in the same city, we only had sporadic contact with her twice. It wasn’t until this visit to her company that we gained a deeper understanding.

Industry Contrast

When it comes to the stainless steel and metal materials industry, most people wouldn’t associate it with women. Yet, this female classmate of mine happens to be in such an industry and has even become a well-known figure in the Foshan stainless steel market, which is quite impressive.

Position Contrast

The last time I met this classmate at a reunion years ago, she was still an ordinary salesperson. It wasn’t until this visit that I learned she had grown into a general manager managing several companies years ago, which was quite shocking to me. Most of our other classmates from the same class are still in ordinary staff positions.

Gender Contrast

Thinking back to when we were in the same classroom, this female classmate was just a naive little girl. In just over a decade, she has grown into a powerful elite in the workplace. Balancing family and children while handling the complex affairs of the company and achieving rapid promotion is indeed no easy feat.