Société Pour les Appareils Deperdussin formed 1910 by silk merchant Armand Deperdussin at Bétheny, Reims. Brilliant manager/designers Louis Bechereau and André Herbemont produced series of monocoque-fuselage monoplanes which won races and set world speed records until Deperdussin arrested for embezzlement August 1913. Company taken over by Blériot: see SPAD.
Note: original SPAD also said to stand for Soc. Provisoire des Aéroplans D., Soc. Parisienne des Avions D. and Soc. des Productions Armand D., and later for Soc. Anonyme Pour l'Aviation et ses Dérivés.