Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych "Star" (FSC Star), also known simply as Star, was a Polish truck manufacturer. The name comes from the City of Starachowice, where the factory is located. Their first vehicle was the Star 20 in 1948. The most popular product was the Star 266. The 266 model offered very good quality and powerful engines for a low price. It was sold in various countries for many years (not only in the Eastern Bloc; for example it was used by the Yemen Army). For many years, FSC Star was a state-owned company. Star is now owned by MAN AG who retired the brand in January 2009.
History
The state-owned company Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych im. Feliksa Dzierżyńskiego was established in 1948 in place of a Lilpop, Rau i Loewenstein supplier, which had been there since 1920.
In 1991, the company was transformed into Zakład Starachowicki STAR SA. In the mid-90s control of the company was taken over by Sobiesław Zasada Centrum S.A. It tried without success to create a Polish company specializing in the production of utility vehicles. Later the company was split into two: Star Trucks Sp. z o.o. and Inwest Star S.A.
At the end of 1999, Star Trucks Sp. z o.o. was taken over by the German group MAN AG. The company continued for a few years production of trucks. These were initially trucks of its own design, then models with a large share of the group MAN components, such as drivers' cabins and engines.