Waldo Calvin Bryant develops the first electric light pull by using beaded chain. A close friend, Gordon Goodridge, designs the first chain-making machine in America. With Bryant’s son, Gerald, they form the Bead Chain Manufacturing Company, incorporated in March, 1914.

Waldo Gerald “Gerry” Bryant becomes Bead’s first President.

Utilizing its cold-forming process known as swaging, the company develops radio contact pins. Bead’s tubular pin sells for half the price of a screw machine part and can be manufactured accurately at high quantities.

The Navy specifies Bead Chain® aboard ships and on shore, including for use in military ID tags.

During WWII, Bead produces more than 22 million Bead Chain® "dog tag" necklace chains for U.S. and Canadian armed forces without a single reject. The company earns the Army-Navy Double EE flag and is given special commendation by the U.S. Ordinance Department.

Bead acquires the Bridgeport Silverware Manufacturing Company in 1956, adding plating capacity for its chain and electronics products and leading to the development of the popular "Diamond Jig" fishing lure.

Bead is at the forefront of developing fluorescent lights. The company manufactures millions of contact pins for fluorescent tubes, supplying parts to GE, Phillips, Sylvania, etc.

Bead acquires McGuire Manufacturing Company in 1972 and begins marketing high quality, commercial plumbing fixture trim.

Bead Chain® is now available in European markets.

Bead changes its name to Bead Industries in 1987 to better reflect its many diverse businesses.

Bead Industries develops Tandem Pins® for the printed circuit board industry.

Bead moves into a single story, modern facility in Milford, CT, incorporating Lean Manufacturing techniques.

A partnership with Samwon Petra in South Korea is established to better serve international markets.

Bead celebrates its centennial by upgrading to a GF Vertical Milling Center, expanding capabilities and reducing lead time for production tooling by half.

Bead achieves IATF certification to support automotive customer needs.

A prototype of our Next Generation Swaging machines is designed to improve efficiency and capacity.