The speed train in China is a far different experience than Amtrak in the U.S. The train station felt more like a modern airport; it was a spacious metal structure with a great deal natural lighting. It was contrary to the images of poverty and instability that the rest of the world envisions about China. The lobby was even complete with a McDonald’s. The speed train itself was smooth and arrow dynamic; again, far more modern than an Amtrak. Surprisingly, traveling over 200 kilometers per hour did not feel fast. The train gradually accelerated and decelerated in advance and the cars never jostled as the tracks rarely made turns. The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity High-Speed Rail Line was completed in 2007, with passenger volumes reaching about 18 million between 2008 and 2009. On our way to Tianjin, we passed small cities, tall residential buildings, rice fields, and even shacks surrounded by waste. It was a testament to the varying prosperity levels in China.
Our final destination was a company that manufactures, distributes and services mining machinery, primarily for coal companies. Joy Manufacturing's factory in Tianjin produces several pieces of equipment, including armored face conveyors that gather the mined material into a trough where it is dragged down the conveyor by a chain. Although a great deal of heavy machinery is sold by Joy, most of its profits actually come from servicing the equipment. Mining practices also vary in different countries. For example, in the U.S. most mining occurs at the surface while the majority of mines in China are below the surface. This is because the best quality coal is found at certain depths in different regions. After learning about the company we were shown a somewhat dated marteting video that described Joy.
Then the EHS manager told us to put on yellow identification vests, goggles and ear plugs; however, a face mask would have been more useful. The moment we walked into the production area the air literally felt heavy and you could almost feel the metal particles filling your lungs. First we saw the process of making giant rotating gears. They came to the facility as metal wheels which were carved, cooled with water, and then torched until smooth. This facility seemed to be a decent area to work in, with natural lighting from sky lights, open docking doors to let in fresh air and relative cleanliness at work stations. The second facility, on the other hand, where the welding and painting took place was not nearly as agreeable. It was dark, dirty and the air quality was terrible. Sparks flew from the conveyer units as very skilled welders smoothed the imperfections. Joy was actually the third company to finalize these metal pieces as they were supplied by a separate ore mining and steel works companies. Joy also wasn’t the end of the supply chain, as the end product was meant for coal mining companies. It demonstrated the interconnectedness of industry suppliers.
After lunch in the employee cafeteria, it was time for questions and answers. Dr. Marlin began the session by asking, if hypothetically coal power was suddenly overregulated or pushed into irrelevance, what would Joy manufacture instead? They said if that happened they would obviously have to adjust their strategy, but the chances of that happening were very slim. Then Erik asked what they were doing to deal with climate change. Their answer was very politically correct, as they claimed to (ambiguously) advocate for clean coal. Although they knew the right things to say, the question seemed to make them uncomfortable. The workers are likely tired of answering environmentalist questions and have already rationalized their source of income by believing their company was not contributing to climate change or that energy production simply trumps environmental harm. Kevin asked if the equipment used in sub-surface mining had many of the same components to surface level mining; which apparently they are. Jason asked about their production efficiency efforts, which is clearly a concern at Joy’s position in the manufacturing process.
That night we went to the revolving top restaurant. Looking over the city of Beijing was reminiscent of the Jetsons, with smog blanketing the city below. It was our last night traveling with the undergraduate and night-time MBA students who were going to Xi’an the next day. We ate a delicious meal together hovering over the city.
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