Company History

For more than a century, the Spang name has been associated with providing high quality and reliable products and services. Over the years, and through multiple acquisitions, Spang has evolved into a trio of divisions that provide innovative, powerful solutions that are positively impacting our world.

• 1894 – George Spang established his own oil field repair shop in Butler, Pennsylvania and served as president for 41 years.
• 1910 – Spang absorbed Etna Manufacturing Company, building gas engines, baling machines, and pumping units.
• 1913 – Spang purchased the inventory, machinery, and good will of TW Phillips Manufacturing. The company was later renamed Manufacturing & Tool Division of Spang & Company, and produced oil and gas well drilling equipment for use throughout the US.
• WWI – During World War I, the company manufactured six inch British shells, marine forgings, and shell producing machinery and equipment.
• WWII – During World War II, the company manufactured specialized needs for the war effort.
• 1961 – Spang acquired Ferroslag Process Corporation.
• 1963 – Spang acquired Fort Pitt Bridge Works and Garco Products.
• 1966 – Spang acquired Eiben & Irr and Sun Drug Company.
• 1966 – Magnetics’ growth included the acquisition of Kemco Corporation of Sandy Lake, PA.
• 1968 – Magnetics was acquired by Spang & Company.
• 1968 – Spang acquired Wolverine Toy Company, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved the company to Arkansas.
• 1980’s – Wolverine progressed from metal to plastic molded toys and was renamed Today’s Kids.
• 1980’s – Spang divested Sun Drug Company, discontinued Fort Pitt Bridge Works, and discontinued Butler Refractories and Ferroslag Processing Corporation to focus on its two core operations, power systems and electronic components.
• 1984 – Magnetics opened a production facility in Booneville, Arkansas
• 1986 – Spang separated the power electronics unit from Magnetics to operate as its own division known as Spang Power Control.
• 1986 – Spang closed the Manufacturing & Tool Division in East Butler, Pennsylvania, primarily due to the decrease in oil industry drilling in the US.
• 1998 – Spang acquired DMARC of Mentor, Ohio to become part of Spang Power Control, and rebranded the division Spang Power Electronics.
• 1999 – Today’s Kids diversified, introduced new product lines resulting in four businesses under the Today’s Plastics name.
• 2003 – Today’s Kids and Today’s Plastics businesses were discontinued.
• 2004 – Magnetics built a new plant in Xiamen, China.
• 2004 – Magnetics opened the Hong Kong Customer Service Center.
• 2005 – Magnetics Xiamen plant opened with its first Chinese hires.
• 2005 – Magnetics opened a global Distribution Center in Hong Kong.
• 2005 – Opened Spang Power Electronics Asia locations for sales.
• 2006 – Opened Spang Power Electronics Xiamen plant as a Field Service location, and began production shortly thereafter.
• 2007 – Magnetics consolidated production operations in Pennsylvania and China.
• 2012 – Magnetics built a new plant in Haicang, China and moved most production facilities from the Xiamen location to Haicang. A warehouse/shipping center and some production remain in Xiamen.
• 2012 – Spang Engineered Solutions began operations, as an engineering design and rapid prototype developer for custom design inductive components.