Source: CCTV.com

10-04-2007 09:42

Investment opportunities can come in all shapes and sizes. And for one man, that shape is round. Tour guide Zhang Yang sees the soccer ball as his chance to make a profit during the Olympics. But having the vision is one thing, making it happen is quite another.

It can be played just like any other ball, but its covering makes it stand out as different. It displays famous landmarks of the Chinese capital, and it's the brainchild of a tour guide.

Zhang Yang said, "Because I work in the tourism industry, I wanted to print pictures of tourist destinations on the ball's surface. But it wasn't easy. I asked my friends, searched on the Internet, and eventually found a football assembly factory in Hebei."

But to his disappointment, the factory's boss told him imprinting needs sophisticated equipment and technology, which most domestic firms don't have.

Zhang Yang said, "I didn't want to give up. After I'd gone to many different places, I finally found a printing company who agreed to help. But the workers there had no experience of printing balls. I spent a month living with them and discussing possible methods. I invested over 100,000 yuan. In the end, they were able to deliver."

But the completion of the work brought little joy. Zhang Yang felt the printing quality had failed to live up to his expectations.

Zhang Yang also said,"I'd invested a lot of money that I'd worked hard to earn. My family hasn't supported my idea. And the printing quality made me lose confidence in it too."