1904
Wilton Bartleet sets up tea broking partnership with George White & Company, Brokers of London’s famous Mincing Lane.

1912
Partnership dissolved, name changed to Bartleet & Company. George White & Co., continue as London Agents.

Bartleet & Co., function as General Brokers – backroom boys of the business world, expertly orchestrating the interests of buyers, sellers, producers and exporters. Since the pattern of the island’s economy centres around tea, rubber, coconut and spices, Bartleet’s services, in the marketing and sales of these commodities by public auction, as well as in the trading of shares, provide a vital link.

1951
Bartleets (still British-owned and directed) becomes a limited liability Company in Independent Ceylon.

In the years immediately following the war, the turnover of Ceylonese brokers increases, as does the Ceylonese ownership of plantations.

Sir Oliver Goonetilleke (who later becomes the first Ceylonese Governor General) purchases a majority of the company’s shares. His son-in-law, Mallory Wijesinghe, an engineer by profession, joins the company.

1958
Mallory Wijesinghe is appointed Chairman and Managing Director of Bartleet & Company. The ownership of the company becomes one hundred percent local.

1963
Ceylon reverts to her ancient traditional name Sri Lanka… Eraj Wijesinghe joins the company.

1966
Mallory & Company Limited, originally established to embark on an animal husbandry project. Later renamed as Unitrades Limited in 1974 as the export arm of the Group.

1977
Radical new open market economic policies. Eraj Wijesinghe is appointed Managing Director and, by a distinctive blend of prudence and imagination, Bartleets proceeds to diversify into carefully selected areas of activity, with one eye on the country’s needs and the other on the company’s resources.

Over the next few years, sweeping changes are made. Activities in rubber and spices come to natural end as the company gets in on the ground floor in many other businesses.

1977
Bartleet Freighters Limited, container freight station.

1979
Bartleet Agencies Limited, indenting agent for commodities.

1979
Bartleet Electronics Limited, first to introduce micro-computers to Sri Lanka.

1980
Bartleet Mecklai & Roy Limited, pioneer international money brokers. A joint venture
with India.

1981
BC Agro-tronics (Pvt) Limited, electronic equipment and support services for the
plantation industry.

1982
BC Computers Limited, computer systems integrators.

1983
Bartleet Finance Limited, licensed specialist finance company.

1985
Bartleet Mallory Stock Brokers (Pvt) Limited, pioneer licensed stock broking company.

1987
Bartleet Technologies (Pvt) Limited, distributor of computer printers, medical
diagnostics & healthcare products.

1988
S & B (Pvt) Limited subsequently renamed as Bartleet Microdevices Limited,
manufacture and assembly of magnetic heads and related components. A joint
venture with Japanese.

1991
Ceylon Quartz Industries (Pvt) Limited, pioneer producer/processor/exporter of
pulverized quartz power. A joint venture with Japanese.

1992
B C Plantations Limited, plantation management services.

1999
Associated Castloy Engineers (Pvt) Limited, manufacture, repair and maintenance of
tea and rubber machinery.

2002
E Services Lanka Limited, on-line electronic customs clearance services. Joint venture.

2002
LIC Lanka (Pvt) Limited (associate company), life insurer. A joint venture with India.

2003
Bartleet Asset Management (Pvt) Limited, a broad spectrum of investment products.

2004
Bartleet TransCapital Limited, fee and fund based financial services.

2005
Bartleet Produce Marketing (Pvt) Limited, produce brokers, marketeers and advisors –
the new strategic face of the activities of Bartleet & Company.