stockton record

 

All charged up:
Batteries Plus franchisee sees new career as an adventure
By Michelle Machado, Record Staff Writer
December 25, 2006

STOCKTON - From the Bluetooth headset hanging on his ear to the watch wrapped around his wrist to the Blackberry and cell phone bulging in his pockets, Jerry Levine leads a battery-operated life.

More battery-powered devices - laptop, printer, travel clock, razor and digital camera - are part of the standard gear Levine packs when he travels for business.

Levine, tour manager for the Brian Setzer Orchestra, in Stockton from Los Angeles for a performance last week, could be the quintessential Batteries Plus customer.

In charge

* U.S. demand for batteries is projected to increase 5.9 percent annually through 2009 to $14.8 billion.
* The primary factors driving this growth are strong demand for battery-powered products such as cellular phones and digital cameras and increasing production of electrical and electronic devices.
* Alkaline batteries will remain the dominant disposable battery type, while lead-acid batteries will account for the majority of rechargeable battery sales.
* Advanced battery types such as lithium ion, lithium polymer, nickel-metal hydride and zinc-air will account for an increasingly larger share of demand, due in part to their high-performance traits.

Source: The Freedonia Group Inc.

"Here, we support portability, whether it's a laptop, a cell phone or a PDA," said Singh Bhinder, owner of the just-opened Stockton Batteries Plus store at 3330 E. Hammer Lane, Suite E, (209) 952-1438.

The 1,700-square-foot store stocks roughly 12,000 national and store-brand disposable and rechargeable batteries for ordinary devices such as cameras, cars and computers and more unusual items, including paintball guns, personal watercraft and pet collars.

"Old and hard-to-find items are our niche," Bhinder said.

The franchise operation also contains a tech center for testing, reconditioning and rebuilding battery packs and for building custom battery packs.

Additionally, Batteries Plus accepts for recycling spent lead-acid and nickel-cadmium battery types, thereby reducing improper disposal of batteries that can lead to contamination of soil and groundwater.

Hartland, Wis.-based Batteries Plus opened its first store in 1988 and now has more than 250 stores operating from coast to coast.

StartupJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal's guide for entrepreneurs, has named Batteries Plus among 25 high-performing franchise brands that conduct business in the United States.

Bhinder's journey to franchise business ownership has been long.

Bhinder, 43, immigrated in 1990 to the United States from India, where he was a teacher.

But he soon discovered that he could not return to his former profession.

"It's a culture shock when you land here," said Bhinder, whose English is better than many native speakers. "I couldn't handle disrespectful kids."

He eventually became an inside salesman for Grainger, an industrial supplier, and a materials specialist for Herzog, the contractor for Altamont Commuter Express maintenance and operations.

During those years, he honed his customer-service skills and made contacts in the business community.

But Bhinder, whose father owned gas stations in India, had an entrepreneurial spirit.

"I always wanted to do something on my own where if I don't perform, I can yell at myself," he said.

After investigating other franchise opportunities, Bhinder bought into the Batteries Plus brand, whose nearest store in Citrus Heights has had 11 years' staying power.

And the concept was a good fit for Bhinder, who has a bachelor's degree.

"I like tinkering with things," he said.

Still, he is sometimes overwhelmed by the daily challenges of navigating the waters of a new business - even one charted by a franchiser.

"It is an adventure to say the least," he said. "This is by no means a get-rich-quick scheme for me. It's my baby."

Contact reporter Michelle Machado at (209) 943-8547 or mmachado@recordnet.com.