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His business is soldering, smelting and sound! "I have three businesses,” says Persang Bavaadam of Baroda. Persang Alloy Industries Private Limited (PAIPL) is into the manufacture of lead free and leaded solder applications – solder pastes, wires and sticks, tin anodes and liquid fluxes, catering to the electronics, electrical and automotive industries. Persang O. M. Metals Private Limited is a 100 percent export oriented unit into the business of smelting, refining and recycling. Kaizan International and Persang Entertainment Private Limited floats on wings of song with the manufacture and marketing of karaoke systems.

Bavaadam is a first generation entrepreneur.

"Persang Alloy Industries was established by me in 1991, initially as a partnership concern with a turnover of Rs 1.1 million. It was converted into a private limited company in 2007 and now the turnover is Rs 800 million (80 crores),” Bavaadam told Parsiana in an email response from Baroda. Earlier there were almost 500 solder industry units in the organized sector in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa and Madhya Pradesh but now there are only six players, he elaborates, and "we are the second largest solder manufacturer in the country.” The company has a factory in a 5,000 square meter (sq m) plot area, with construction covering 3,000 sq m in the GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) Estate at Waghodia, Baroda district.

PAIPL’s customers include L&T Infotech, Wipro, Panasonic India, LG, Philips, GE, Bharti, Blue Star, etc. Its website www.persangalloy.com lists its milestones — Best Vendor awards, first approval from ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) in 1993-94 with the approval still on; second approval of C-Dot (Centre for Development of Telematics) in 1994-95 and renewed regularly, ISO 9001:2000 certificate by TUV Rheinland, Germany, as well as CRISIL Ratings certificate. PAIPL’s website also states: "We have joined hands with world leader

Shenmao Technology Incorporated based in Taiwan, a major solder manufacturer,” which has plants in China, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, etc.

Persang O. M. Metals, says Bavaadam, is a new joint venture with the Japanese to manufacture and process scrap from the electronic industry, the product line of tin and lead ingots being exported to O. M. Metals, Philippines and Thailand. "The unit is being set up in the Special Economic Zone (Synefra Engineering SEZ, Pipaliya, Waghodia, Baroda district) and enjoys many facilities,” notes Bavaadam. With an investment of over Rs 135 million and 15 employees, Persang O. M. Metals is an approved business house with certification from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board. "Since the recycling process involves the hazards of lead exposure, the company provides effective engineering and administrative control for its employees and facility,” state company sources.

"My father Jal started a TV and electronics trading business in the year 1976. We had three shops in the city. We were distributors and dealers for many companies,” the entrepreneur narrates. Increasing competition and changing company attitudes prompted him to start off on his own. "In 1989 I purchased a 10,000 sq ft piece of land and started a small unit. I did my diploma in electronics. I am a well read person, but frankly speaking, much about electronics in terms of designing since I was indulging in metals.” Younger brother Aadil joined the business in 1996. "I have done B.Com, but I have good experience in the field of metals and chemicals,” Aadil states. "The learning experience so far has been tough. Industry norms are changing and government policies do affect business as well as industry standards.” "Yes, there are challenges every day and we have to fight the battle to retain and move ahead in the industry by innovation, service and quality. And government policies do sometimes cause setbacks,” the elder brother concurs.

The karaoke business is Persang’s baby. "I have always had tremendous passion for music. In my young days I used to sing, but not professionally. Once the alloy business was well established, I thought of sparing some time for music.” Persang offers complete karaoke systems for the beginner and the professional. Classique, Dzire, 3300 Karaoke Sing Along System, Revolution … are the different options, with wireless or wired microphones, receivers, speakers, key control and equalizer in disco, jazz, stadium, classical and normal mode. A large karaoke song bank re-mixed in high tech digital MP3 format has songs in 13 languages — Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Konkani, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Sinhalese, along with select categories of folk (garba) and bhajans!

The distribution network currently covers the main cities of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka as well as Calcutta. "Karaoke is the business where I am enjoying my passion as well as earning. It is an untapped and unexplored market which in future will fetch great business,” believes the 47-year-old CEO (chief executive officer). Persang says he can sing by heart around 4,000 songs — melodies by Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Yesudas and more. "It’s God’s gift,” he declares.

Persang is the chairman of all the companies and looks after the most important aspect — finance, as well as human resources and administration of all the units. Production, quality assurance and marketing are handled by Aadil. "My uncle Firdosh Bavaadam is also a part of the business and helps us in production. The karaoke business is totally looked after by me,” he asserts. "My wife Sanno is a real backbone… by nature she is so generous, loving and caring and has strengthened the unity in the family.” Mother Freny always provides moral support, he avers. Sisters Binaifer Gai and Parizad Ghadiali work respectively as general manager in Surya Palace Hotel and chief chef in Hilton Hotel. Persang and Sanno have two children — Kaivan who is in Standard XII and Varzan in Standard VII. Aadil and Farah have one son, Hanoz, who is in the first standard.

"I started my career with hardship and struggle… But yes, it gives immense pleasure and satisfaction to manage your own baby,” Persang opines. "Naturally there is always a plus point in working in a family environment… but our organization is also totally professionally managed. Decisions taken are unbiased and always for the benefit of the organization,” adds Aadil. Baroda is a "peaceful, clean and nice city, with everything in the vicinity. The Parsis (here) are refined, sober and calm and I see a great future for the community,” the younger sibling states. "People have trust in us in terms of product, company and management,” asserts Persang.