Bead Electronics, one of two divisions at Bead Industries, Inc., is a global manufacturer of precision continuous reeled, solid-wire, and tubular contact pins for the telecom, automotive, connector, and lighting industries.
This year, Bead celebrates its 100th year in business. Founded in 1914 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bead Industries developed and manufactured Bead Chain® for electric light pulls. Using the same innovative metal-working process, called swaging, it fabricated products for the electronics market in the mid-1920s.
Today, Bead maintains a solid customer base, including many Fortune 500 companies, despite recent economic pressure in the U.S. manufacturing sector. In fact, growth continues with its latest achievements: the launch of a new, online 3D CAD catalog, a $75,000 technology grant and the 2013 SBA Family-Owned Business of the Year Award.
Ken Bryant, CEO and fourth-generation family member, relocated the company from the four-story factory in Bridgeport to a single-story facility in Milford in 2003. In the last six years, all three of his daughters and one son-in-law have joined the business.
The company is planning a series of activities to celebrate its first 100 years and events will be taking place throughout the year, including an open house tour of its Milford-based factory, the release of a centennial book chronicling the captivating history of Bead, and event sponsorships and charity events.
Read the full press release.
About Bead Electronics
Bead Electronics, is a global manufacturer of electronic connector pins and has been manufacturing in Connecticut for over 100 years. The award-winning company carries over 500 patents and is best known for inventing its manufacturing process called swaging. This process is a high-speed, virtually scrap-less, cold-forming process capable of producing a wide size range of metal electronic components that are consistent and cost-effective. The family-owned business is led by its fifth generation. Click here to speak to a connector pin specialist today.
