The Autolite story began in 1911 when two small companies started producing buggy lamps, becoming a thriving automotive parts manufacturer by the 1930s. But its history as a spark plug manufacturer began in 1935 when Royce G. Martin, President of the Electric Autolite Company, equipped and staffed a lab to develop the first Autolite spark plug. Leading the project was Robert Twells, a ceramic engineer, who eagerly researched current patents and ceramic insulator technology. With a handful of new draftsman and staff members, it only took a few months before the Company had a spark plug available for distribution. Autolite had instant success, as the brand supplied spark plugs and other ignition parts to well-known manufacturers.