Description

The Albert Champion Company was founded by Albert Champion as a French electrical parts importer in Boston's South End in 1905. They began manufacturing spark plugs marked "Champion" by 1907. Albert Champion, unhappy with control over his work, approached William C. Durant of the Buick Motor Company in 1908 with prototypes. Durant assisted Champion in setting up a workshop in Flint, Michigan, to supply spark plugs for Buick automobiles under a new company named "Champion Ignition Co." The two other partners of Albert Champion Company, brothers Frank D. and Spencer Stranahan, still held the trademark for the name "Champion". The second company founded by Champion and Durant changed its name to "AC Spark Plug Company" in 1922 to settle out of court. In 1927, it became a division of General Motors. Both companies survive as ACDelco (GM products) and Champion spark plugs sold by Federal-Mogul.