E Rand & Sons appointed ZF Service Point dealer

Supported by ZF Services UK’s Centre of Competence in Nottingham – which has recently boosted capacity to supply a wider stock of remanufactured transmissions and axles – ZF Service Partners can attend bus operators within a 48-hour window and perform on-site diagnosis, repairs and component exchange to ensure vehicle downtime is minimised. All Service Partner staff are trained in line with the factory production standards, which form part of ZF’s core competencies.

ZF Services is delighted to announce that E Rand & Sons Ltd has been appointed as a new Service Point dealer.

As part of the agreement that came into effect earlier this year, the company based in Great Blakenham, Ipswich, will service and repair ZF automatic transmissions for bus and coach operators. Rand will be heavily involved in repair and refit transmission work and also ZF campaign work in the East of England.

E Rand & Sons has been providing a first-class service to customers for more than 100 years. In 1915, Ernest Rand established the business at Wetherden in Suffolk installing oil and diesel engines, to provide power for agriculture, mills, factories, pumps and electric lighting plants.

Today, the company has six-field based engineers, 20 service vehicles and a facility in Ipswich at the disposal of customers.

Karl Hawes, Rand service operations manager, said: “We’re delighted to become a ZF Service Point dealer and we’re excited at what we can bring to customers through our experience and service. In addition to meeting the demand from ZF for their scheduled work, we also have a transmission workshop, where we can carry out work and supply parts from stock. We’re keen to provide customers with a complete support package.

“We’ve built up an enviable reputation,” he adds. “There’s not been anybody covering ZF in this area and so we’ve already picked up new business.”

Genuine ZF parts are also available from stock and Rand technicians are equipped with the latest ZF diagnostic tools (TestMan), providing customers with the highest level of service.

Rand staff have already visited ZF facilities and believe the training offered by the company to be “fantastic”. Hawes added: “The training from ZF has been key to us growing our team of skilled engineers and ensuring we offer the full package of training and support to staff.”

David Wakeling, ZF Business Manager, Commercial Vehicle, said: “Rand is a business steeped in history and it is this experience and expertise that will prove vital as the company supports coach and bus operators. The company is renowned

for its service and is the perfect partner to support our growing business.”