"Production Worker" Experience Account

The first time I came into contact with production workers was in the spring of 1995.

My birthplace, Deyang in Sichuan, is a nationally renowned heavy-industry city—where industry defines the city, and the city, in turn, thrives on industry.

In 1995, the central urban area was home to two of Deyang's major heavy industries—China Second Heavy Industries and Dongfang Electric. That year, my uncle officially took on the role of workshop director at China Second Heavy Industries, a remarkable achievement at the time. Each work team was overseen by its own workshop director, who managed dozens of production workers beneath him. I distinctly recall that whenever my uncle visited our home, he’d wear his olive-green work uniform, proudly embroidered with the words "China Second Heavy Industries." Back then, I once asked him why he never seemed willing to take off this special uniform, but he just smiled without answering. It wasn’t until I started school myself that I finally understood: this wasn’t just any ordinary work outfit—it symbolized status, authority, and prestige. In fact, there was one classmate in my grade who always got appointed class monitor, and the reason was simple—he happened to have a father working at Dongfang Electric.

My father once told me that if my academic performance was poor, he’d have my cousin “arrange” for me to get a job at Erzhong after graduating from high school—a stable, government-backed position—because having an “iron rice bowl” was better than anything else. That was the pride and glory of industrial workers in the 1990s.

Time flies like a white horse flashing through a crack—before we knew it, twenty years have passed. My "uncle," now long retired with honors, has opened a tea shop back in his hometown. Meanwhile, here I am, working as an ordinary "production worker" at the mighty Hank Corporation—though compared to those on the front lines of manufacturing, our roles differ. After all, while DDC production workers craft tangible products, what I “produce” is none other than brand value and exceptional service.

This is the third time I’ve stepped into the production workshop. Dressed in green overalls and sporting the "Little Red Cap" with the words "DDC" printed on it, along with a dust mask, another DDC production worker has reported for duty.

This time, the task for our "support" in production was simple—applying adhesive labels and sealing cardboard boxes. My partner was Deng Hong from the Quality Control Department, who primarily oversees the testing of the company’s sweetener products. She’s an Agilent-certified senior testing engineer. During the morning, we started by sticking the adhesive labels. Crouching on the floor for a while left my legs numb and tingling, so after standing up to rest for a minute, I resumed work. Sealing the cardboard boxes, however, turned out to be quite a skillful task: First, you fold the back flaps of the box neatly together, press them flat, and then carefully seal the opening from left to right using adhesive tape. What made this step especially meticulous was that the adhesive tape featured DDC’s iconic brand logo—a cute little pig holding up a thumbs-up vertically. So, when sealing each box, we paid extra attention to ensure that both ends of the tape retained the complete brand design. After all, brand communication is everywhere—in packaging, even down to that tiny patch of sealing tape; every detail becomes part of DDC’s vibrant brand showcase.

By nearly 12 noon, the cardboard boxes behind me had already piled up like a mountain, almost engulfing me. Production worker Master Duan kindly stepped in to help clear away the boxes, creating a narrow pathway for me to come and go. "There are still the last ten boxes left to seal—why don’t you guys head over to eat first?" I called out to the production workers behind me, who kept waving at me nonstop as I worked on sealing the boxes.

For the group of DDC production workers, our collaboration on the video script for "The Most Beautiful Dadi People" has brought us into closer contact with them. Our first interaction occurred when we needed to include the workers' stories in "This Is Chengdu Dadi—A Commemorative Collection for DDC's 20th Anniversary Celebration." As a result, I conducted interviews with three outstanding representatives from the production team, leading to the creation of the article "Responsibility: The Soul of Our Products—A Documentary on the DDC Production Team." In this latest video script, beyond their daily work in production, we also highlight the little yet meaningful moments from their lives. Behind each seemingly ordinary person lies an extraordinary story. And as these stories are shared with the world through video, they evoke emotions that no single tear can fully capture. Instead, what truly resonates is their profound pursuit of life’s deeper meaning, along with their unwavering love—for their families, for their company, and for the future itself.

Each instance of "supporting" production brings a unique realization—starting from the initial "wonder and excitement," to now, where I'm "determined to do even better." Along the way, my love for the industry I’m in has only grown deeper and more profound.

Life is full of no “what ifs”—if only I had joined the “China Double” back then, I might now be twisting a tiny screw in my hands, or perhaps holding an eye shield while the welding rod in my other hand crackles softly… Sticking one adhesive label after another onto cardboard boxes, sealing box after box—no need to ponder, no need to ask. Just take this step, and keep moving toward the next doorway. (Text by DDC’s Zhou Bin)