General Programme 2024

THE HISTORY OF ITALIAN TOOLS

1923 1939

Alessandro Ciceri founded “Alessandro Ciceri & Figli”, in Erba (in the province of Como), to manufacture iron and steel casts. The trademark Beta was registered, and the Company became involved mainly in manufacturing professional tools at the factory in Sovico (in the province of Monza e Brianza). The Company is still based in Sovico. Beta Utensili employed no less than two hundred people, established themselves as an up-and-coming manufacturer of professional hand tools and exported their products. The revolutionary orange sheet metal “Tank” trolley was launched; from that moment orange would result in a unique style for the trademark Beta. Beta Utensili entered the motor racing world – first in Formula 1 and then in rally racing and motor sports in general. The factory in Castiglione d’Adda (in the province of Lodi) was opened, thus joining the established factory in Sovico (in the province of Monza e Brianza). The Company scored their first Formula 1 victory, with the orange March-Beta Utensili driven by Vittorio Brambilla, who won the Austrian Grand Prix in Zeltweg, in the pouring rain. Beta Utensili further penetrated the main European markets, establishing branches in France, Britain, Holland, Spain, Poland and Hungary. The Company opened their third factory in Sulmona (in the province of L’Aquila). In the forge shop, they started manufacturing the iconic combination wrenches, item 42. The production and testing of lifting accessories kicked off under the brand name Robur. The launch of the new Beta Utensili catalogue testified to ongoing growth. The range of available products was doubled, and the over 10,000 coded items were divided into 22 product families. Beta Utensili’s range was further expanded, being supplemented with safety footwear as well as with the work and free-time wear collection, “ Beta Work ”. Beta started expanding overseas, establishing Beta China and, three years later, Beta do Brasil. Beta introduced the new modular workshop equipment combination system, RSC55 . The Beta Group further established themselves, by taking over BM S.p.A ., a leading manufacturer of terminal lugs and electrical connection systems, 3D Beta S.r.l. , a company specializing in the design and production of customized workshop equipment combination systems, and VGF S.r.l. , a company specialising in powder coating of metal furniture. The Beta Group’s growth strategy was accelerated with the acquisition of the leading manufacturers of abrasives, Abra Beta S.p.A. and Elpa Abrasivi S.r.l. Beta Tools USA was established, as a major step towards expansion in the North American market. The Company took over Helvi S.p.A ., a major player in the metal welding industry. Hence the Beta Group can now exceed 1,000 employees worldwide, 40 product families and over 30,000 coded items, developed to satisfy professionals’ requirements and provide long-term quality and performance, according to the principle ‘Beta Well Done’, because we at Beta can only do things well.

1960

1969

1923 Alessandro Ciceri & Figli

1971 1973

1975

1939 Forging department

1955 Shearing department

1980

1984

2000

1960 Design department

1969 Tank trolley

2002

2009 2016 2018

1975 Vittorio Brambilla

2019

1974 Advertisement for tool assortments

2002 “BetaWork”

2020 2023

2016 Workshop equipment combination system RSC55

2023 Fabio Quartararo, Beta Ambassador

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