3rd Generation family run business.

Universal (formally known as CES) was established in 1976 by Colin Smith when he saw an opportunity to remanufacture auto electrical car parts for local garages and car spares shops in East London. He also offered a unique same day rebuild and delivery service.

By the time son Chris joined in 1987, the business had grown to over 6 people. Two years later his 2nd son Graham joined the company. Chris and Graham had been working during their school holidays and weekends, from a young age you’d find them standing on milk creates rebuilding units all day long.

The business continued to grow and they expended their delivery service to Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent. They opened a second branch in North Weald in 1994, which Chris managed, to further expand their delivery area.

In 2009 they expanded again but this time to just one site in Basildon, a much larger premises and their service now covered the whole of the UK and exporting into Europe.

In 2014 Graham’s son Joe joined the newly branded Universal Rotating Electrics and a year later Chris’s son Jamie also joined the team. Their grandfather Colin had then taken a back seat in the business and Chris and Graham are driving the company forward.

Over 40 years later Universal Rotating Electrics is one of the UK’s leading remanufacturers of alternators, dynamos and starter motors. Their workshops are equipped with the latest testing equipment, this enables them to provide very quick turn-around of parts, excellent technical advice and after-sales support.

With over 5,000 part numbers available in our range they have one of the largest in the UK.

If the part you require is not in stock their VIP “Please Rebuild Me” service can rebuild your unit while you wait, getting you up and running in no time. This service has become invaluable to their customers and one which the team are very proud of.