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.
1925 - Sidney New York
Connecting History tells the extraordinary story of how one small town and one manufacturing plant defied the odds to thrive for 100 years.
1928 - More than Corporate History
It's a human story. This book traces the company's journey from the 1920s to the present.
1941 - Production Floor
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.
Present - Amphenol Aerospace
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.
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Author Bio
Chris Cappello is the Marketing Communications Director at Amphenol Corporation, where he has worked for over two decades. Prior to joining Amphenol, he served as a journalist and broadcaster in the United States Navy. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from the State University of New York at Cortland and an MBA from Binghamton University. He also graduated from Sidney High School in Sidney, New York, in 1990.
Bibliography
A century-long story of Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney, NY—tracing its roots from Scintilla Magneto to a global leader in military and aerospace connectors, told through history and personal stories from over 40 employees requires alot of first and second hand source material. This bibliography includes all sources used in the creation of Connecting History.