General Engineers, of Tipton, Staffordshire
1933 Private company formed to supply components to the motor industry;, especially crankcases and gearboxes; later concentrated on remanufacturing engines[1].
1937 Became public company. Victor Riley was Chairman.
1940 Record output[2]; 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
By 1969 was a subsidiary of British Leyland[3]
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[4].
1988 Management buyout from Rover with investment from 3i; 300 employees[5].
1992 Beans Engineering acquired Reliant, one of its largest customers, from the receivers[6].
1994 Went into receivership due to debts within some of its subsidiaries; the receiver planned to sell Reliant[7].