Celebrating 80 Years

We’re celebrating our 80th anniversary this month! J.W. Speaker Corporation was established July 9th, 1935 by John W. Speaker initially manufacturing tire repair kits. Today, 80 years later, J.W. Speaker is proud to specialize in vehicle lighting solutions for OEMs and aftermarket applications! Please join us in celebrating 80 years of J.W. Speaker!

80 years ago, John W. Speaker founded the J.W. Speaker Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a manufacturer of automotive repair parts. The company offered radiator fronts, car mirrors, repair kits and automotive lighting.

The automotive market has changed dramatically over the past 80 years. Today, J.W. Speaker Corporation is still a family-run business and is led by John’s grandsons, Tim and Jamie Speaker. We have evolved into a major lighting manufacturer specializing in quality lighting products for OEMs and aftermarket customers around the world. The company now serves a variety of industries including: agriculture, construction, off-road, mining, motorcycle, recreation, and aviation markets.

Success is derived from putting the customers’ needs first, continually focusing on new and emerging technologies alongside quality production. “As we celebrate 80 years, it’s exciting to think about how far the business has come. J.W. Speaker has progressed from a small parts automotive manufacturer into a global manufacturer of cutting edge lighting technology,” said Tim Speaker, J.W. Speaker’s Co-President and Co-Owner.

J.W. Speaker is no stranger to change. In the early 1940’s, J.W. Speaker started to manufacture the Heatab® miniature portable stove and the P-38 GI can opener. These were simple tools that assisted soldiers in the field and were widely used during World War II. After the war was over, the Heatab stove and P-38 can opener were still used by the U.S. military, but the company shifted focus back to the automotive market.

In 1960, under the leadership of John’s son Jack, J.W. Speaker shifted to support original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicular lighting, like Harley-Davidson. The company also started to expand the product offering outside of the automotive markets and started to include lighting for lawn & garden and golf & turf tractors, supporting John Deere.

As LED lighting started to shine, the company continued to evolve by investing in new LED technology and focusing on the aftermarket. Now serving both OEM and aftermarket customers, J.W. Speaker takes pride in meeting the unique needs of both large manufacturers and end users, by providing innovative and high quality lighting products. Jamie Speaker, J.W. Speaker’s other Co-President and Co-Owner, added “We are committed to continually evolving to meet the needs of our customers, just as we’ve done for the past 80 years.”

We thank both our customers and employees for their contributions to our continued success over the past 80 years. To celebrate, J.W. Speaker is hosting an anniversary celebration in conjunction with a Lakeshore Chinooks baseball game for all J.W. Speaker associates and their families this Summer.

To learn more about J.W. Speaker, click here to see the Driven. To See More. video.