In 2025, Amphenol will celebrate its 100th anniversary in Sidney, NY.
Help us to preserve the stories!
In 2025, Amphenol will celebrate its 100th anniversary in Sidney, NY.
Help us to preserve the stories!
Formerly known as
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Now
Welcome to Spark in the Dark 100
Preserving the History of Amphenol
Our factory has been through many iterations, from Scintilla to Bendix to Allied to Amphenol. Still, one thing has remained constant - the people in our community have helped support the military and aerospace industries with the best interconnect products in the world.
Connecting History
From Scintilla to Amphenol: A Century of Connecting Technology in Sidney, New York
In 1925, the Scintilla Magneto Company relocated from New York City to the rural village of Sidney, New York. Over the next century, the company would evolve--through name changes and product shifts from magnetos to military and aerospace connectors--into today's Amphenol Aerospace, a global leader in high-performance interconnect systems.
While most small towns lost their founding industries long before reaching the century mark, Sidney remained a rare exception. This book explores the reasons why: an embrace of innovation, an ability to adapt, and a deep connection between the company and the community. From supplying ignition systems for WWII aircraft to supporting missions like Apollo 11 and the F-35, Amphenol's impact on defense and aviation has been profound-and it all happened in a town of fewer than 5,000 people.
But this is more than a corporate history. It's a human story. This book traces the company's journey from the 1920s to the present. It also features personal reflections from over 40 current and former employees--workers whose families, friendships, and futures were shaped by the plant. Their voices provide a rich portrait of the lives behind the legacy.
Spanning wars, floods, economic upheavals, and generations of change, Connecting History celebrates a century of resilience, innovation, and community rooted in a single place--Sidney, New York.
July 19 2025, Sidney, New York
Spark in the Park 5K
Amphenol Aerospace is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Sidney in 2025. From its humble beginnings in 1925 as the Scintilla Magneto Company to becoming Amphenol Aerospace—one of the world’s most vital military connector manufacturers—this race honors our legacy of providing the famous
"Spark in the Dark,"
We want to tell the Amphenol story and need your help.
We have multiple projects planned to commemorate this special anniversary – including an open house, demonstrations, presentations, a virtual museum, and more – and we need your help to create a lasting record for future generations. Please use the form below if you’d like to donate any memorabilia you, your family, or friends may have. We will review all items before accepting any donations. You can also use the form to share stories and recollections, or to ask questions. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you for the 100th anniversary.
Scintillator Magazine
Please contact us if you have any Scintillator issues you would like to donate to be preserved and digitized.