General Engineers, of Tipton, Staffordshire
1933 Private company, owned by Hadfields, formed to acquire the fixed assets and stocks of Beans Cars Ltd; the company would supply components to the motor industry[1], especially crankcases and gearboxes; later concentrated on remanufacturing engines[2].
1935 Hadfields and its associated company Bean Industries made special components for Malcolm Campbell's reconstructed car Bluebird[3]
1936 Hadfields disposed of all of its interests in Beans Industries[4]
1936 Public company Smethwick Drop Forgings was formed to acquire the drop forgings business of Beans Industries[5]
1937 Became public company. Victor Riley was Chairman.
1940 Record output[6]; seems to have been a public company at this time
1961 General engineers and iron founders for the motor and engineering trades. 2,00 employees
1961 A member of the Standard-Triumph Group.
By 1969 was a subsidiary of British Leyland[7]
At some point the company was renamed Beans Engineering.
1972 BL transferred its marine engine work to Beans, which had 1000 employees at Tipton sites[8].
1988 Management buyout from Rover with investment from 3i; 300 employees[9].
1992 Beans Engineering acquired Reliant, one of its largest customers, from the receivers[10].
1994 Went into receivership due to debts within some of its subsidiaries; the receiver planned to sell Reliant[11].