A business that started on a family dining table has reached a major milestone.
Autoelectro, based in Bradford, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026.
Founded in 1986 by Santokh Singh Bhogal, a quality control engineer, the company began by dismantling and remanufacturing starter motors and alternators from home before moving into a workshop.
Paul Bhogal, one of Mr Bhogal’s three sons who also joined the business, said: “Everything was hands-on.
“Dad would take an alternator apart, we’d clean, test, and rebuild it, all in the same space where we ate dinner.
“There were no shortcuts, and every part had to be done properly.
“If something didn’t work, we’d figure it out, often learning as we went.”
Family members all contributed to the growing business.
Mr Bhogal said: “It wasn’t just Dad working.
“Mum was there every step of the way – keeping us fed while Dad worked late into the night, helping with paperwork, and even packing orders when needed.
“My brothers and I all learned to chip in wherever we could – from sweeping floors to labelling parts.
“Everyone contributed.”
Autoelectro has operated from Nirmalec House since 1991, where it remanufactures and distributes starter motors and alternators for customers across the UK.
The company now stocks more than 5,000 part numbers.
Mr Bhogal believes the early years set the tone for long-term success.
He said: “The hard work was done at the beginning.
“From home to the garage, to a small unit and then a larger purpose-built premises – within a few years, it had grown into a professional operation.
“That foundation is what everything else has been built on.”
The business remains family-run, now spanning three generations.
As the automotive market has evolved, Autoelectro has stayed focused on its core specialism.
Mr Bhogal said: “We made a conscious decision early on to specialise.
“You can spread yourself across many product groups and potentially struggle or focus on two and be successful.
“We chose the latter, concentrating on what we knew best.”
Mr Bhogal credits much of the company’s resilience to its people.
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He said: “We’ve got people here who have been with us for decades.
“It’s about creating the right environment and treating people properly.”
