Supplier Brings Research, Experience to New Venture By Traci Matt ASSOCIATE EDITOR Congratulations to Miami-based Rand Group, Inc./Rand Premium Electronics which is celebrating its second anniver- sary next month—a mere babe-in-arms in this patriarchal industry. However, company president Peter Bain wants to be perfectly clear that his young enterprise sports no lack of expe- rience or expertise. “Rand’s inception was the result of prior years of discussion and research by rebuilders, engineers and well- known people involved in the regulator, rectifier and diode side of our industry,” he said. “Everyone was in full agree- ment there was a welcome place for Rand in our industry.” Bain himself is an industry veteran with entrepreneurial experience in auto electrical and heavy duty rebuilding companies, and has been a consultant both in the U.S. and abroad. Sonny Simerly, Rand’s chairman, served as president of Renard for approximately 15 years. “Sonny is highly respected both domestically and internationally for his leadership, vision and integrity. Under his leadership Renard grew to become a large diode and rectifier manufacturing company known throughout the world. Rand is very fortunate to have Sonny as their chairman,” said Bain. Although Rand is not affiliated with Renard, many former Renard employees have been instrumental in getting the business started. Bain said the driving force for quality at their facility is that most Rand employees, some with over 40 years in both the automotive and heavy duty auto electrical industry, know firsthand what it is like to face an angry customer bringing back a warranty. “The warranty was not the fault of the rebuilder, but due to an either poor quality part of a faulty component part,” he said. “The rebuilder can do an excellent job, but is let down by a component part. However, it is the rebuilder who has to face the customer, PS Le Ses home Office. Rand Premium Electronics celebrates their second anniversary at their Miami, Fla. / A Rand employee demonstrates rectifier welding at their electronics business. coupled with the prospect of losing the customer’s future business. The war- ranty costs him far more than the cost of the component part. He also loses his valuable time…Every warranty, to even large rebuilders, has a huge adverse affect on them. Rand under- stands the seriousness of warranties.” Rand has only recently received their first warranty rectifier out of “hundreds of thousands” they have shipped. “After testing and analyzing this warranty, we unanimously decided to mount and frame it as a reminder to us all to strive to be great—not just good,” said Bain. Rand management has traveled worldwide to find “suitable partners” in their quest to meet their engineers’ rec- ommendations. As a “great listener” the company has recently designed a “plat- inum line” of rectifiers using OEM Bosch diodes. “Tt is intended for the rebuilder who is increasing the amperage of the OE alternator or using alternators on such applications such as police cars or shuttle buses,” said Bain. The X-treme Heavy Duty Series will be on display at the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) Big R Show in Las Vegas, Nev. next month. Bain said the importance of continuing education and networking offered at events such as this are busi- ness necessities. “We are so very fortunate to have such dedicated, knowledgeable people in our industry who want us all to succeed,” he said. “The first time you go to an ERA or APRA function, clinic or trade show, it can be intimidating, especially if you do not know a soul. However, you quickly make friendships realizing you all have a common interest. Suddenly you can’t wait to go to the next show or clinic. You get hooked, and always come away with knowledge gained. “IT personally have been involved with our industry’s organizations for over 25 years. I have developed won- derful friendships, gained a ton of knowledge and built up a huge network. Our organizations are only as strong as their members, and stronger when their members get involved, no matter how small the involvement is.” Bain said that although he realizes “times and circumstances” have drasti- cally changed the face of manufacturing