One of Zhang's biggest early hurdles was getting workers to understand that Haier's commitment to quality was substantially different from that of other Chinese companies. To make his point, Zhang once pulled 76 refrigerators off the line , some for minor flaws such as scratches, and ordered staff to smash them to bits. "That got their attention," laughed Zhang. "They finally understood I wasn't going to sell just anything like my competitors would. It had to be the best.