While Henry Jubel never considered college as a possibility, a high school superintendent encouraged him to apply for an academic scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

When the United States entered WWII, Henry Jubel tried repeatedly to enlist in the military, but was turned down because of his German heritage.

Instead, Henry took a position with the Civil Service Ordinance Department, where he invented a grenade launcher modification that fit onto the bayonet attachment of the M-1 rifle. This innovation earned Henry the country’s highest civilian award.

After the war, Henry Jubel took a job with Sterling Aluminum Products as a production engineer. Over the years, he worked his way up to plant manager and finally vice president.

Henry says of his time at Sterling, “It was 17 years of good experience that you only get by actually working in the factory.”

When Sterling Aluminum Products workers went on strike in 1960, Henry Jubel decided to open his own foundry business. After mortgaging his home and borrowing money from family, Henry Jubel purchased casting machines from Sterling and began production in Sparta, Illinois.

Henry Jubel and partner Ken Gronemeyer cast Spartan’s first part at 4 a.m. on April 1, 1961. The aluminum and motor end shield castings were made for Spartan’s first customer, Wagner Electric.

For the first 10 months after Spartan opened its doors, Henry Jubel and his business partner, Ken Gronemeyer, slept on Army cots in the office in order to keep the foundry running around the clock. This entrepreneurial spirit helped the company turn a profit by November 1961.

After earning degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Missouri-Columbia, Don Jubel, son of Henry and Elvira, began working for Spartan full time.

Don worked closely with Henry, learning the ins and outs of operation and management. “My dad and I commuted to Sparta together every day, an hour each way,” Don remembers. “I got all my mentoring behind a windshield.”

Spartan signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Reynolds for the use of the 390 hypereutectic alloy, a silicon-free material that is still in use today.

In the midst of the 1970s energy crisis, Henry Jubel pushed Spartan to begin manufacturing parts with a second, even lighter alloy: magnesium. The metal is more difficult to work with than aluminum, and at the time, only two die casters in North America produced magnesium die castings. Spartan became the first to offer these products commercially.

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After 17 years at the company, Don Jubel took over as Spartan’s president in 1992. Determined to continue his father’s mission to “solve the difficult problems,” Don ushered in a new era of technology and innovation.

To honor Henry Jubel’s legacy at the company, the Sparta, Illinois community came together to rename the street leading up to the Sparta plant, “Jubel Drive.”

To meet magnesium casting demand in the automotive industry, Spartan opened a separate magnesium foundry in Mexico, Missouri.

Benham Architects designed a high-tech space to create an atmosphere of innovation with a carefully planned layout and underground tunnels.

Don Jubel encouraged the company to introduce robots to the factory floor. “We want people to use their brain, not their brawn,” he said of the technology. The first robot, an extractor nicknamed “Don #1,” arrived in 1996.

Created in 1998, the Spartan Light Metal Products Scholarship endows four annual scholarships at the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis.

In 1998, the Henry A. Jubel Foundation was created to support young people seeking to improve their lives through education. The Foundation sponsors the Mars Rover Team at Missouri University of Science & Technology, the racing team at Washington University in St. Louis, and robotics teams at Westminster and Holt High School.

On July 8, 1999, Henry Jubel passed away at St. Anthony’s Hospital at the age of 81. By that time, he had completed most of the work on The Immigrant, a memoir he planned to present as a gift to his family. After Henry’s death, Don Jubel took over as Spartan’s CEO.

In the year 2000, Don Jubel shared his vision for Spartan’s future, outlining the company’s cultural values, expectations from employees and the management team, and more.

In his letter to employees, Don emphasized the importance of individuals. “While the nature of our business now is much different than it was 40 years ago, one thing remains the same… People make the difference between success and failure.”

For years, Spartan struggled to recruit mid-management staff to work in the Sparta, Illinois location. Opening the Corporate Service Center in St. Louis helped with recruitment and provided another place to meet with clients visiting from faraway places.

The Spartan Light Metal Products Fund was established to support education in our communities. Facilities in Sparta, Hannibal, and Mexico each award four, four-year scholarships per year to students graduating from nearby high schools.

In 2006, Spartan purchased an existing die casting plant in Hannibal, Missouri to expand capacity. The facility was purchased from a competitor that filed for bankruptcy. Today, the Hannibal plant maintains an outstanding record in quality and safety.

In 2011, Spartan celebrated 50 years of leadership in light metal technology. Employees in Sparta, Mexico, and Hannibal gathered to commemorate the occasion with food, fun, and festivities.

In 2011, Spartan’s leadership team released Our Core Operating Values, a set of guiding principles for the company and employees. These values hold true today, keeping every member of the Spartan team engaged with our mission and purpose.

At Honda’s annual supplier conference, the company recognized Spartan with three awards, including the Excellence in Delivery Performance Award for the company and the Challenging Spirit Award for Sparta, Illinois and Mexico, Missouri facilities.

In 2012, Honda’s North American operations manufactured a record 1.7 million automobiles. Spartan partnered with the company to ensure that delivery requirements were met.

The North American Die Casting Association recognized Spartan’s Hannibal, Missouri facility with the “Perfect Award” for maintaining a 2013 safety record with zero lost days, transfers, or restrictions.

Spartan’s Mexico, Missouri and Sparta, Illinois facilities were recognized with the “Outstanding Award” for safety during the 2013 year.

The Volkswagen Group invited entrepreneurs and managers from the international supplier industry to “Gläserne Manufaktur” in Dresden to present the Volkswagen Group Award 2013 to the 21 best suppliers.

The Volkswagen Group Award honors VW’s best suppliers for overall entrepreneurial performance. The award-winning companies excel in development expertise, product quality, competitiveness, and project management.

Spartan’s Internship Program was established to foster the next generation of innovators. Students have the opportunity to work side- by-side with Spartan’s experienced staff on real-world projects.

At Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America’s Annual Supplier Business Meeting, Spartan was presented with the company’s Excellent Quality Performance Award.

In 2014, there were only 17 Toyota suppliers to receive this prestigious Quality Performance Award. Spartan was one of only three U.S.- based companies to receive this recognition.

In 2014, Bruce Breitzman was promoted to chief operating officer at Spartan. Bruce joined Spartan in 2007 as vice president of operations at the Sparta, Illinois facility.

Employees, leadership, and community members celebrated the opening of Spartan’s expanded Mexico, Missouri plant. The $17 million investment added 68,000 square feet and 88 new jobs to the existing facility.

Spartan was pleased to be recognized with the Excellent Quality Award from Toyota. Only 16 Toyota suppliers received the prestigious Quality Performance Award. 2015 marked the fifth consecutive year of recognition for Spartan’s Hannibal, Missouri plant.

In 2016, the leadership team released Spartan’s Five-Year Business Plan, which included an updated value proposition and priorities for the company.

VISION STATEMENT: The global value leader in light metal technologies — through customer-focused engineered solutions at competitive costs.

VALUE PROPOSITION: The most reliable Partner when it comes to the most complex and lightweight metal solutions.

At Toyota’s Annual Supplier Business Meeting, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. presented Spartan with an Excellent Quality Performance Award. In 2016, less than five percent of supplier locations qualified for this award.

In September of 2017, Don Jubel announced the promotion of Bruce Breitzman to CEO and president of Spartan Light Metal Products. Breitzman joined Spartan in 2007 and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2016.

With this appointment, Don Jubel transitioned to executive chairman at Spartan. In this role, Jubel ensures that the company continues its long-term strategy, maintaining the culture and values established by his father, Henry Jubel.

The Sparta, Illinois team celebrated the opening of expanded facilities, including 90,000 square feet designated for shipping, receiving, and warehousing. “These are exciting times for us,” Spartan’s vice president of Sparta operations, Ken Fehr, said of the expansion. “We are very proud of the success of our employees and our company.”

Spartan was recognized for quality and delivery at Toyota Motor North America, Inc.’s Annual Supplier Business Meeting. This Excellent Quality Performance Award marked the seventh year in a row that Spartan’s Hannibal plant has been recognized by Toyota.

Spartan announced construction plans for a new stand-alone die cast manufacturing facility in Mexico, Missouri.

The facility will operate as a separate business unit. Spartan expects to break ground in the second quarter of 2018 with completion in the third quarter of 2019.

The expansion is projected to add 100+ jobs to the Mexico, Missouri area over the next five years, extending Spartan’s commitment to the city and surrounding communities.

At Toyota’s Annual Supplier Business Meeting on March 20, 2018, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. presented Spartan with an Excellent Quality Performance Award and a Launch Award.

This marks the eighth consecutive year Spartan’s Hannibal plant has been recognized for quality and delivery by Toyota.

Washington University in St. Louis announced plans for Henry A. and Elvira H. Jubel Hall, which houses the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science.

“With this very generous and important gift, Don and Karen Jubel pay tribute to both their family and to Washington University,” said Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. “Their generosity and desire to help others are rooted in the values upheld by Henry Jubel, who understood the importance of a good education and overcame considerable odds to matriculate at Washington University.”

The Spartan Light Metal Products Makerspace is a place where Washington University students, faculty, and staff bring innovative ideas to life and join together to develop ideas that will impact the community and the world. We welcome both those who are new to making and experienced makers into a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment. The 3,350 sq.ft. makerspace is composed of the studio space and the advanced machine shop.

Spartan Light Metal Products was named a GM Supplier of the Year by General Motors during a virtual ceremony honoring the recipients of the company’s 28th annual Supplier of the Year awards. This is the second time Spartan has received the award, both times in the Engine and Transmission category.

Spartan Light Metal Products has been recognized for the tenth straight year by Toyota in their annual supplier awards. The company’s Hannibal (MO) plant has been confirmed as one of a very select number of suppliers to achieve this honor.

Tom Messner is appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Spartan Light Metal Products, INC, Spartan Light Metal Products, LLC and Spartan LMP. Tom brings a range of experience in U.S. and International automotive manufacturing with both OEMs and Tier 1 automotive suppliers. He most recently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of General Aluminum, an operating unit of publicly traded Park-Ohio. His expertise in engineering, business development, general management and sales makes Tom a great asset to the Spartan team.

Spartan was founded in 1961 as a family-owned business. Three generations later, the values of dedication, hard work, and integrity continue on.