In today's increasingly flat and networked world, even as ordinary individuals, we can express our views on anything, especially the young. However, in the author's circle of friends, there is a friend who is already in his forties and works in construction machinery. Whenever he has time, he expresses his views on industry development through the internet and shares photos of construction equipment. He is Hou Yuhui, also known as "Brother Hou" in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei construction machinery circle, a dedicated grassroots worker and an internet enthusiast. Today, we get close to "Brother Hou" and listen to his stories.

 

    Entering the construction machinery industry seemed "predestined"

 

    Professional background and grassroots experience enriched his life

 

    Through conversations with him, we learned that Hou Yuhui's father also came from a technical background. Perhaps influenced by his father from an early age, he chose "Mechanical Manufacturing and Process Equipment" as his university major. After graduating in 1994, Hou Yuhui did not stay in Tianjin city but chose to return to Jixian County, where he was eventually assigned to work at the machinery team of the Jixian Transportation Bureau.

 

    Today, when Brother Hou talks about his youthful experiences, he still does so with relish. He seems to be thanking that period of his youth; it is precisely because of that life experience and accumulation that he has become the well-known "Brother Hou" in the industry today. Upon entering the machinery team of the Jixian Transportation Bureau, Hou Yuhui took on work related to construction machinery, first as a wheeled paver operator and then as a machinery maintenance worker. He worked diligently in such grassroots positions for many years, gaining an in-depth understanding of the performance and structure of many mechanical devices and accumulating a wealth of industry experience, which laid a solid foundation for his later work in machinery management.

 

    Tied to Xinluqiao: Forging an extraordinary life in an ordinary position

 

    Learning plus practice: Diligently fulfilling his duties

 

    From the 1990s into the new century, the name of Hou Yuhui's employer changed several times, eventually becoming Tianjin Xinluqiao Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Xinluqiao). Currently, Hou Yuhui serves as the technical supervisor engineer in the equipment department of Xinluqiao, mainly responsible for construction machinery file management, machinery maintenance and use, identification and handling of machinery safety and liability accidents, and procurement and scrapping of machinery.

 

    From 2000 to 2003, he was seconded to the company's safety department to assist with international quality standard certification work. Listening to his account, we can infer the leadership's intention at the time: the company must have valued his character and work ability to transfer him from the equipment department to the safety department. It was not until October 2003 that he returned to the equipment department.

 

    In the equipment department, a large part of the work is equipment maintenance. Hou Yuhui sincerely shared with us a dilemma he faced at the time: in actual equipment maintenance work, much of what he learned in school was not applicable, so he had to relearn. He mentioned that in maintenance work, he dealt with several diesel engine failures caused by air entering the fuel supply system, which could never be fully bled. After each bleeding operation, the fault persisted, and ultimately he completed the repair with the help of an experienced master. Although he had studied electrical engineering and fluid mechanics, he still found it difficult to understand the advanced and complex circuit and hydraulic schematics inside construction machinery, which naturally affected fault diagnosis and troubleshooting. In short, these experiences deeply touched Hou Yuhui, so he decided to teach himself. He actively sought out engine manuals and machinery manuals to understand the structure, principles, and common troubleshooting methods of various machines. Through learning and practice, after some time, Hou Yuhui's maintenance skills improved rapidly, and he could independently undertake and complete maintenance tasks.

 

    In a relaxed conversation, he also told us about his most memorable maintenance experience. At that time, a major overhaul was performed on the engine of a certain brand of excavator. After the overhaul, the excavator was test-run, and the engine speed dropped. After adjusting the pressure and flow of the hydraulic pump, the engine returned to normal. However, during construction, the excavator experienced repeated engine speed drops and black smoke, which were resolved after adjusting the hydraulic pump pressure. Yet months later, the excavator's engine speed drop and black smoke became more severe, with abnormal noise. Hou Yuhui and his colleagues went to the construction site and inspected the excavator. Based on the fault symptoms, Hou Yuhui judged that there was a problem with the engine valves. Upon inspection by repairmen, it was found that the third cylinder valve had no clearance, causing the engine to misfire and lack power. After adjusting the valve, the excavator worked normally, and the previously lowered hydraulic pump pressure was adjusted from 28 MPa to 30 MPa, still operating normally. Later, the original fault occurred again. In view of this, Hou Yuhui suggested towing the excavator back and disassembling the engine for inspection. Ultimately, the root cause was found to be a damaged and recessed third cylinder valve seat. After replacing the valve seat, the engine no longer experienced speed drops.

     Gaining trust: In charge of construction machinery procurement

 

    Working in practice: Gradually standardizing work systems

 

    After more than a decade of practical experience, Hou Yuhui has now been promoted to technical supervisor of the equipment department at Xinluqiao, overseeing construction machinery maintenance and procurement. In this conversation, he told the reporter from HC360 Construction Machinery Network that Xinluqiao has a unified set of guidelines for equipment procurement. For example, the company compiles an annual "Construction Machinery Purchase Application Plan" at the end of each year based on construction needs, which must be approved by relevant leaders before execution. In addition, the equipment procurement team reviews and evaluates equipment suppliers—agents or manufacturers—and only those qualified can be confirmed as qualified suppliers. The review includes the business qualifications of the agent or manufacturer, such as agent authorization letters, business licenses, and other valid certificates, with emphasis on their supply capacity, service capacity, and parts supply capacity.

 

    Our procurement supervisor "Brother Hou" further explained some principles he follows in procuring construction machinery, such as choosing well-known brands with excellent quality, choosing reliable brands that the company has used, and choosing enterprises with strong supply, service, and parts supply capabilities.

 

    In addition, he particularly emphasized the importance of on-site inspections of unfamiliar agents and manufacturers, stemming from an incident involving the purchase of a water truck. The company they inspected was in a southern city, and it was only through the on-site visit that they discovered there were over two hundred modification factories in the area, many of them family-run workshops operating under the banner of a certain brand. He said, "Without sufficient inspection, it's easy to be deceived."

 

    Regarding his current management work, Hou Yuhui candidly said that the most difficult part is managing people. For example, many young operators have excellent driving skills but lack knowledge of machinery structure, principles, and maintenance, which hinders the timely progress of construction projects. Therefore, Hou Yuhui and his equipment department further standardized management systems: young operators must be mentored by experienced masters for a period, learn operation and maintenance techniques, and pass an assessment before working independently.

 

    Family harmony strongly boosts his career success

 

    A virtuous wife gives Brother Hou no worries

 

    For a man striving outside, family harmony is the cornerstone of career success—this has been true since ancient times. Our Brother Hou has a happy family of five. His parents are retired, he and his wife are office workers, and his daughter is now in her first year of high school. We noticed that whenever Hou Yuhui talks about his family, a warm and happy feeling immediately shows. He said that after work, his greatest enjoyment is watching TV and chatting with his parents, wife, and daughter. When it comes to hobbies outside work, Hou Yuhui smiled and told us that he likes to take photos of construction machinery and landscapes. "Work is busy now, no time. After retirement, I'll travel around properly."

 

    In real life, almost everyone may have conflicts with their family due to work, emotions, or other reasons, and our interviewee Hou Yuhui is no exception. However, he says his family is very harmonious, and any conflicts are resolved well. Our Sister Hou is truly his virtuous wife, caring for the elderly and raising the child; family matters are decided by Sister Hou and his mother. This gives Brother Hou no worries, allowing him to work with peace of mind and his career to flourish.
 

      Doing support work well to help Xinluqiao build quality road sections

 

    　Sharing years of experience in road construction machinery procurement

 

    According to HC360 Construction Machinery Network, Tianjin Xinluqiao Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. specializes in road construction. Over the years, it has adhered to the principle of "build a project, create a masterpiece, erect a monument" and has constructed many quality road sections. Out of respect and maintenance for the company's honor, Hou Yuhui and his equipment department have established the following systems to ensure project quality: procure the best machinery during the procurement phase; after project completion, inspect each machine, record faults, coordinate repairs, and ensure maintenance; during construction, carry out daily inspections and maintenance, provide necessary spare parts support, troubleshoot promptly, and never use equipment with problems; overall, rationally allocate resources and improve machinery utilization.

 

    It can be said that over the years, Hou Yuhui has dealt with construction machinery and equipment, and his judgment of the quality of a machine, especially road construction equipment, is very pertinent. He told the reporter that the road construction machinery his company often purchases has reliable performance, long service life, and strong operational capability. He then commented on several well-performing equipment models, such as: "Among road compaction machinery, the outstanding one is Sany's YZ18C fully hydraulic vibratory roller, with high configuration, imported engine and hydraulic components, low failure rate, convenient maintenance, good performance, large vibration force, and high compaction efficiency; for pavers, it's Ingersoll Rand ABG423, the earliest and most mature product entering the Chinese market, with good paving quality, high production efficiency, high reliability, long service life, and convenient maintenance; for excavators, the first choice is naturally the Caterpillar 320D excavator, whose engine power is higher than other brands of the same tonnage, i.e., large power reserve, and with its hydraulic system, the engine power can be fully utilized, suitable for various working conditions, even high-load work like rock breaking."

 

    Although in his forties, he still strives forward

 

    Despite industry downturn, he firmly believes spring will come

 

    In the past three years, China's construction machinery market has fluctuated and is still operating at a low level. Facing this situation, he seriously analyzed that new rural construction, urbanization, rural water conservancy projects, municipal maintenance, and western infrastructure construction have stimulated the construction machinery market to some extent, and there have been signs of recovery, but the downturn will continue for some time. He particularly emphasized that the construction machinery market needs rational development, further destocking, and continuous promotion of transformation and upgrading. At the same time, the industry will reshuffle, and environmental protection and agricultural machinery will see great development in the future.

 

    It seems that Hou Yuhui's view of the industry's future is rational, and he is full of confidence in the eventual recovery. Listening to his account of his career, we can feel that his achievements today stem from his love for construction machinery and years of hard work in the industry, as well as the strong support of his family, employer, and friends.

 

    At forty, he is free from doubts, and his career is still thriving. Facing the future, Hou Yuhui smiled and shared his future expectations for work and life. He hopes to make further progress at work, using his knowledge and experience to contribute to the company and road construction, and also hopes to provide experience and help to industry professionals, making a modest contribution to the development of China's construction machinery. In life, Brother Hou plans to improve his family's living environment this year, so that his family can truly enjoy a happy life—watching TV, dining, and traveling together, full of joy!