Fears over the potential impact on the automotive supply chain if the Iran hostilities drag on means “the importance of remanufacturing cannot be overstated in 2026,” according to CAT Awards Rising Star of the Year Harnek Bhogal.
Bhogal, who stepped into the leadership team at Bradford-based Autoelectro in 2023, said that concerns over shipping access to the Strait of Hormuz make the case for locally sourced parts availability stronger than ever: “If we were a wholesale distributor selling product made in the Far East, we would see a huge disruption to our business model, which would affect our customers and ultimately motorists.”
He continued: “Remanufacturing means stability within the market, which has a net positive impact on society, and also means that we can still sell a quality product at a sensible price.”
The grandson of Autoelectro’s founder and the sole third-generation Bhogal to join the family firm, Harnek Bhogal also advocates for the positive environmental impact of remanufacturing: “Everything is so disposable now, especially in the rotating electrics product category. We are providing a true sustainable solution. It’s not just the ethos of the business; it sums up how we work.
“Once we were one of many remanufacturers in this segment. Now, if you're looking for providers capable of supplying big factor chains across the country, there are far fewer in the market, and Autoelectro is among those able to operate at that scale.”
An economics graduate who also spent a placement year working at Nissan, Bhogal could have chosen from a host of careers: “I was applying for roles in investment banking and private equity and within the big four accounting firms. All the standard stuff, but in my back of my mind I was asking myself: ‘do I really care about strategy consulting at KPMG? Not really’. What did I actually care about? I care about remanufacturing and the aftermarket. All of us kids in the family worked at the company right through school. We'd do credit notes in accounts or picking and packing orders in the warehouse, or go out with delivery drivers, getting involved in every aspect of the business. I really enjoyed it. It never really felt like work to me.”
As someone who made the conscious decision to opt for automotive, what did Bhogal think the sector could do to make for a more appealing career? “Ask most young people what their ideal career would be and most will say YouTuber. Looking more broadly, who would want to be a mechanic or a parts advisor at a factor when they could have an office job or work from home? It's a really difficult problem to solve. Perhaps we need to incentivise apprenticeships. In the end what we really need to do is address the current generational mindset.”
Finally, reflecting on his win at the CAT Awards, Bhogal added: “It was a really humbling experience, but it’s not just me being recognised. The win reflects all of the work Autoelectro has since being founded in 1986.” On how he felt after the awards ceremony at in Manchester, Bhogal added: “I don’t think I stopped smiling!”
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