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Standard Motor Products history
Standard Motor Products company history timeline
Standard Motor Products was founded in 1919 by Elias Fife and Ralph Van Allen.
In 1920 Van Allen opened a Standard Motor Products branch in Seattle.
1921 Over the River SMP moves across the East River to Long Island City, NY.
1921 Second to None Elias Fife, (third from right) leading the company’s first sales force vows to have a “sales force second to none.”
1922 Hydraulic Brake Boom The first American car with four-wheel hydraulic brakes, the Duesenberg Model A, is developed, replacing ones that relied on the pressure of the driver’s foot alone.
1923 Planting Roots in Queens Irving Beck, a manufacturer of battery cables, leases space for his operation in SMP’s building on 10th Street, the company's first Queens location.
1925: Partnership is dissolved.
1926: Cofounder Elias Fife incorporates the business.
1926 Power Steering is Invented Engineer Francis W. Davis began exploring how steering could be made easier, and in 1926 invented, demonstrated, and patented the first practical power steering system.
1926 Wire and Cable Expansion The SMP product line expands to include wire and cable.
Originally Champion Window Anti-Rattler Company, Champ was started in 1929 by a former mechanic and car salesman who introduced the line with a window shim for the Model A Ford.
1932 The Right to Repair Delco-Remy, a subsidiary of General Motors, initiates a lawsuit against P&D, a prominent aftermarket manufacturer of ignition point sets, claiming infringement of Delco’s design patents.
1932 EIS Manufacturing Founded EIS Manufacturing was founded in a quiet Bronx residential neighborhood next door to Schwarz Auto Parts.
1934 Wire and Cable Growth Irving Beck sells his wire and cable manufacturing business to SMP, and joins the company as a purchasing agent.
1935 Safety First Flashing turn signals are introduced.
1935 A Legacy Begins Bernard Fife (right), son of founder, Elias Fife, joins SMP.
Van Allen operated a separate company in Los Angeles under the same name and logo until 1936, when he sold it to Fife.
1936 Home Sweet Home SMP moves from its 10th Street location to its current location at 37-18 Northern Blvd. in Long Island City, New York.
1939 A Cool Addition The first air conditioning system is added to automobiles.
1940 Fully Automatic Oldsmobile introduces the first mass-produced, fully-automatic transmission.
1946-47:Bernard Fife and Nathaniel Sills assume management of the company.
1947 Canada Bound Standard Motor Products begins marketing products in Canada.
1947 The Legacy Continues Nathanial Sills, Elias Fife’s son-in-law, joins the company.
In 1947 Standard acquired Hygrade Products Co.
1950 A 25+ Tradition In July 1950 the company begins The “25 Year Club” tradition honoring the service and dedication of employees who have been with the company for 25 years.
1950 Finally Cruising The first cruise control mechanism is developed and is now standard on today’s vehicles.
In 1950 Standard introduced the Hygrade System, simplified carburetor kits for tune-ups and light overhauls.
1951 Steering with Power Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available power steering system for passenger cars on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial.
Net sales came to $12.93 million that year (about double the 1955 figure) and net income to $769,978.
In 1959 Fife retired from active management.
1960: Standard Motor Products offers stock to the public for the first time.
1960 Welcome to the Public SMP becomes a publicly owned company with stock being first traded over-the-counter.
1960 Blue Streak® Brand Makes Strides Blue Streak® brand introduces Lubripoints, an advanced assembled contact breaker point set featuring patented Lubriwick technology.
1963: The company begins distributing as well as manufacturing automotive parts.
In 1963 it entered the wholesale parts market with a new subsidiary, Marathon Parts.
1966 Injection development The first electronic fuel injection system is developed.
Standard Motor Products' sales grew rapidly but profits remained flat until 1967, when net earnings passed the $1 million market for good, reflecting greater manufacturing efficiency and streamlining of the warehouse facilities.
1967 Southeast Expansion Standard Motor Products opens Stanric, its first offshore factory in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
1967 The Next Generation Larry Sills, grandson of Elias Fife and a member of the family's third generation, begins his SMP apprenticeship.
Net sales came to $55.05 million and net earnings to $2.95 million in 1971.
In 1972 the company acquired Universal Automobile Parts Distributors, Inc. of Miami, adding its warehouse to the Marathon Parts division.
1972 Engineering Excellence Taking the first steps necessary towards becoming a basic manufacturer of electronic ignition parts, a separate Electronics Engineering group is created by SMP.
1973 Sales in Motion Larry Sills addresses the SMP sales force at the 1973 National Sales Meeting.
1977 Listed on NYSE Standard Motor Products is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SMP.
Manufacturing was accounting for about 70 percent of sales, and distribution for about 30 percent in 1978.
In 1978-79 the company purchased two manufacturers of replacement automotive air-conditioning parts and began selling them under the Four Seasons name.
1978: Standard Motor Products begins manufacturing air-conditioning parts.
1979 Technician Clinics Are Introduced SMP introduces the first technician clinics focusing on electronics.
1980 Wire and Cable SMP begins wire and cable production in the Edwardsville, KS facility.
Standard Motor Products' net earnings reached $21.07 million in 1983, a mark not exceeded for more than a decade.
1985 The Beginning of ABS Lincoln introduces the first American car with an antilock braking system (ABS). Today SMP offers over 2,400 ABS Sensors.
In 1986 Standard Motor Products purchased the EIS brake parts division of Parker-Hannifin Corp. and an electronic-ignition assembly plant in Hong Kong from Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation.
Sills's son Lawrence became president of the company in 1986, but his father and Fife, now described as co-chairmen and chief executive officers, continued in charge.
In 1989 Wall Street Transcript gave the two its bronze award in the auto parts/replacement industry category for their restructuring program and aggressive marketing effort.
Standard Motor Products introduced a second line of wire and cable products in 1989.
Standard Motor Products' sales passed the half-billion mark in 1990, with about a quarter of its merchandise being sold to retail outlets in the do-it-yourself marketplace.
1990 Global Expansion SMP enters a joint venture with Lavi Electronics, a Toronto remanufacturer of engine control computers.
1991 The Tradition Continues Eric Sills, great-grandson of Elias Fife and a member of the family's fourth generation, begins his tenure at SMP.
In 1992 the company became the first aftermarket supplier, other than original-equipment manufacturers, to produce mass air flow (MAF) sensors, through a Canadian joint venture.
1992 Blue Streak® Europe Blue Streak® Europe is established giving SMP an expanded global presence.
1993 SMP Acquires Federal Parts SMP acquires Federal Parts a leading manufacturer of economy wire sets.
After the economy improved and sales surged, net earnings reached a new record of $23.67 million in 1994.
1994 75 Years Strong Standard Motor Products celebrates 75 years in business.
In 1995, for example, it acquired two companies--Automotive Dryers, Inc. and Air Parts, Inc.--making and distributing climate control system parts in Cumming, Georgia.
Also in 1995, Standard Motor Products added an electronic-ignition operation in Herzliya, Israel, and a brake systems plant in Mississauga, Ontario.
1995 SMP Corporate Training Center Responding to the need for technician training to keep pace with advancing technology, SMP opens its corporate training center in Irving, Texas.
In 1996 the company acquired a firm assembling and distributing ignition wire sets and battery cables in Dallas; purchased a manufacturer of fan clutches and oil coolers; and opened an electric-motor manufacturing and assembly facility in Canada.
In July 1997 it exchanged its brake business for Cooper Industries' temperature control business.
A joint venture was begun in 1997 with Valeo, S.A., to remanufacture air-conditioning compressors for this market.
1997 Developing Technology SMP engineers develop advanced, double-wire bonding and heat sink technology for electronic modules creating a stronger, better performing and longer lasting automotive electronic control module.
1997 The Prius Paves the Way The Toyota Prius was only available in Japan when it first went on sale in 1997, and became the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle.
Standard Motor Products sold its Service Line division, including the Champ and Pik-A-Nut operations, to P & B Inc., in 1998-99.
The company got out of the brake replacement business in 1998, exchanging it for the temperature control business of Moog Automotive, Inc., a subsidiary of Cooper Industries Inc., and converting the Mississauga plant to the manufacture of ignition, wire, and temperature control components.
Standard Motor Products also acquired, in 1999, Lemark Auto Accessories Ltd., a British-based supplier of wire sets, and a Texas-based unit of Mark IV Industries, Inc. that was manufacturing and distributing fan clutches and oil coolers.
1999 Professional Diagnostics SMP corporate training introduces professional diagnostic seminars continuing the company's commitment to educate automotive technicians.
In 2000, however, temperature control sales dropped to 44 percent of the total, which the company attributed to the loss of a major retail customer and cool and wet summer weather in the northeastern and midwestern states. As a result, temperature control accounted for 49.7 percent of Standard Motor sales in 1999.
Sales have increased in almost every year (but fell in 2000). Standard Motor Products was directed by the same two men for over 40 years.
In 2000 it completed the purchase of Vehicle Air Condition Parts, a British distributor, and Automotive Heater Exchange SRL, an Italian company.
Standard Motors Products' operating profit was $30.66 million in 2000.
1997 The Prius Paves the Way The Toyota Prius was only available in Japan when it first went on sale in 1997, and became the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2000.
2002 Wire and Cable Division Expands Carol Cable Ltd, a UK wire manufacturer becomes part of SMP Holdings Ltd.
2003 SMP and NAPA Echlin Dana Corporation agreed to sell a significant portion of the Engine Management operations of its Automotive Aftermarket Group to Standard Motor Products, and the BWD®, Niehoff, and Echlin brands join the SMP family.
2004 Dana - Canada SMP acquires Canadian Engine Management Business from Dana Corporation and begins integrating functions into SMP's Mississauga, Ontario location.
2005 Expanding Global Manufacturing Standard Motor Products begins remanufacturing compressors at its plant in Reynosa, Mexico.
2006 Poland Expansion SMP opens manufacturing facility in Bialystok, Poland to serve expanding European markets.
2008 TPMS Takes Center Stage All vehicles made or sold in the United States are now required to have Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). SMP has added TPMS sensors to its growing engine control line.
On July 29, 2009 Chairman Sills rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate the company's 90th anniversary.
2009 SMPAdds Belden® Wire SMP acquires Federal Mogul Wire product line adding the well respected Belden® brand to the wire lineup.
2010 Continuing Growth SMP's Hong Kong facility transitions from manufacturing to procurement while maintaining an engineering support staff.
2010 Hayden® Heads to Texas Hayden® a manufacturer of fan clutches and transmission oil coolers moves into the Grapevine, Texas facility.
2010 SMP Gets Technical with Video SMP uploads its first YouTube video, welcoming a new age of product communication, motorist interaction, and technical training.
2011 Standard® Joins Twitter On July 12, 2011 Standard® Brand joins the social site Twitter and posts its first tweet.
The company funded acquisitions by taking out loans and selling stock; as of 2011 less than 10% remains family-owned.
2012 Right to Repair Legislation The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, referred to as Right to Repair takes a giant leap forward as the Massachusetts legislature passed H. 4362, a Right to Repair bill on July 31, 2012 marking the first time that this federal legislation will become law.
2012 SMP Featured in The Atlantic "Making it in America" in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of The Atlantic Magazine prominently features SMP highlighting the story of American manufacturing, its challenges, and the people who make it possible.
2012 CompressorWorks® is acquired.
2013 SMP Hits 60,000+ Fans SMP counts more than 60,000 in its growing family of Facebook "fans" across its popular brands.
In January 2014, the company acquired the assets of Pensacola Fuel Injection.
2014 SMP continues to grow
2015 A Move for the Future On the heels of its 95th anniversary, SMP looks to the future by appointing Eric Sills as President of the company.
2016 SMP Appoints New CEO In March, President Eric Sills becomes the fourth CEO in SMP’s history.
2017 It's a Safety First for TPMS Sensors In August, Standard Motor Products became the first manufacturer to have TPMS sensors registered with NSF® International, a leading independent, accredited organization that tests and verifies the functionality of products and systems.
2017 SMP receives MERA certification for its Diesel Injectors
2018 SMP Expands ADAS Category SMP expands its line of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) components for its Standard® and Intermotor® lines.
2019 SMP Rings NYSE Opening Bell To commemorate its 100th anniversary in business, Standard Motor Products rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
2020 The Launch of SMP Cares SMP announces the launch of its SMP Cares website, a new site dedicated to highlighting the company’s efforts supporting local communities through service, volunteerism and donations.
2021 SMP Acquires Trombetta SMP acquires Trombetta, a worldwide leader in providing power switching and power management products to OE customers in various markets.
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Standard Motor Products competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool | 1911 | $16.6B | 78,000 | 146 |
| MTD Products | 1946 | $2.0B | 6,800 | - |
| Leggett & Platt | 1883 | $4.4B | 20,000 | 83 |
| Crane Co. | 1855 | $1.5B | 11,000 | 162 |
| Sharper Image | 1977 | $86.0M | 2,000 | - |
| Nucor | 1940 | $30.7B | 26,001 | 429 |
| Charming Shoppes, Inc. | 1940 | $2.0B | 10,300 | - |
| K&N | 1969 | $130.0M | 580 | 10 |
| Tenneco | 1940 | $18.0B | 78,000 | 123 |
| WeatherTech | 1990 | $100.0M | 130 | 29 |
Standard Motor Products history FAQs
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Standard Motor Products may also be known as or be related to Standard Motor Products, Standard Motor Products Inc, Standard Motor Products Inc. and Standard Motor Products, Inc.