STARCO
A Danish-run manufacturer and supplier of tires, steel wheels and wheel systems for original equipment manufacturers and distributors.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
STARCO is a Danish-run tire and wheel business serving original equipment manufacturers, distributors and specialized equipment markets. Its name is derived from “Scandinavian Tyre and Rim Company,” reflecting the company’s original regional focus and its long-standing emphasis on integrated tire-and-wheel solutions. The business is headquartered in Brabrand, Aarhus, Denmark, and has developed from a Danish family-owned enterprise into an international group with sales entities, production facilities, warehouses and OEM assembly operations across Europe and other regions. The company was established in Aarhus in 1961 as P. Ejlersgaard A/S and is generally associated with 1962 as the establishment date of STARCO. Its early development centered on tires, rims and wheel assemblies, while later expansion broadened both its geographic footprint and its manufacturing capabilities. STARCO Europe was created in 1990, providing a platform for the group’s subsequent internationalization. During the 1990s and 2000s, the company acquired or established operations in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy and several Central and Eastern European markets. It also expanded into Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. STARCO’s product and manufacturing scope includes solid tires, pneumatic tires, steel wheel rims, plastic rims, dual-wheel systems and specialized wheel assemblies such as flex barrow wheels. The company has supplied components and finished wheel solutions for agricultural machinery, industrial equipment, trailers, material-handling applications and other off-highway uses. Its agricultural-wheel activities include steel rims and related assemblies designed for machinery manufacturers and equipment distributors. The group has also operated strategic OEM assembly centers and central warehouses to support customers with configured wheel-and-tire packages rather than only individual components. Manufacturing and production expansion formed an important part of STARCO’s development. Production of rims for agricultural machines was moved from the United Kingdom to Croatia in 2002. The group acquired Gebr. Schaad AG in 2007, later operating the business as STARCO GS. It established STARCO Lanka in Sri Lanka in 2011 to produce solid tires, adding an Asian manufacturing base to its European network. In 2012, STARCO opened a central warehouse in Winsen, Germany, and began implementing e-coat nanotechnology treatment in steel-wheel production. These activities supported the group’s effort to improve corrosion protection and strengthen its ability to serve industrial and OEM customers. The group’s international structure has included multiple production sites, sales entities, central warehouses and OEM assembly centers. Reference material describes a network covering 22 countries, 28 sales entities, five production sites, six strategic OEM assembly centers and four strategic central warehouses. STARCO also formed STARCO ZA in 2013 as a platform for potential expansion in Africa, while the former Gebrüder Schaad business was renamed STARCO GS in the same year. STARCO remained controlled and operated by the Ejlersgaard family for much of its history. Chairman and owner Peer Ejlersgaard died in 2016. In 2017, the STARCO Group was acquired by Kenda, the Taiwanese tire manufacturer. The acquisition placed STARCO within Kenda’s broader tire-industry group while preserving STARCO’s established focus on specialized tires, rims, wheel assemblies and OEM distribution. Publicly available reference material does not provide enough information to describe the company’s current executive leadership, financial performance or detailed post-acquisition operating structure.
History
STARCO traces its origins to P. Ejlersgaard A/S, established in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1961. The company’s STARCO identity is derived from the expression “Scandinavian Tyre and Rim Company.” Its business developed around tires, rims and wheel systems for industrial, agricultural and other specialized applications. The company was operated for many years as a Danish family business associated with the Ejlersgaard family. STARCO Europe was established in 1990 and became a foundation for the group’s international expansion. During the following decade, STARCO acquired tire and wheel businesses in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Great Britain. This expansion enabled the company to combine local sales and distribution capabilities with its existing Danish management and product expertise. In 2001, STARCO expanded into Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland. The following year it entered Russia and moved production of agricultural-machine rims from Great Britain to Croatia. In 2004, the group acquired tire and wheel companies in Belgium. STARCO S.R.L. was established in Italy in 2005, while STARCO Europe also acquired an interest in a British company; the resulting group became known as STARCO DML Ltd. Further expansion into Belarus and Ukraine followed in 2006. The group continued to add manufacturing and technical capabilities. In 2007, STARCO Group acquired Gebr. Schaad AG, a company later known as STARCO GS. STARCO established a solid-tire manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka in 2011. In 2012, it opened a central warehouse in Winsen, Germany, and introduced e-coat nanotechnology treatment in steel-wheel production. The coating process was intended to strengthen the protection and durability of steel wheels. In 2013, STARCO ZA was formed as a platform for expansion on the African continent, and Gebrüder Schaad was renamed STARCO GS. STARCO’s operating model combined production, distribution and OEM assembly. Reference material describes 22 countries, 28 sales entities, five production sites, six strategic OEM assembly centers and four strategic central warehouses. The company manufactured or supplied solid tires, steel rims, plastic rims, dual wheels, flex barrow wheels and other tire-and-wheel combinations. Its customer base included original equipment manufacturers and distributors serving agricultural, industrial, trailer, material-handling and other off-highway markets. Chairman and owner Peer Ejlersgaard died in 2016. In 2017, Kenda, a tire manufacturer, acquired STARCO Group. The acquisition marked the end of STARCO’s period as an independently controlled family business and placed its international tire-and-wheel activities within Kenda’s wider corporate structure. Available reference material does not establish the precise current legal structure, executive team or whether every historical production and sales operation remains active under the STARCO name.
- 2017
Kenda acquires STARCO Group
[1]Kenda acquires the STARCO Group, bringing the business into the tire manufacturer’s corporate portfolio.
- 2016
Peer Ejlersgaard dies
[1]Peer Ejlersgaard, identified as STARCO’s chairman and owner, dies.
- 2013
STARCO ZA is formed and STARCO GS name adopted
[1]STARCO ZA is formed as a platform for African expansion, while the former Gebrüder Schaad business is renamed STARCO GS.
- 2012
German warehouse and e-coat production technology
[1]The company opens a central warehouse in Winsen, Germany, and begins implementing e-coat nanotechnology treatment in steel-wheel production.
- 2011
Solid-tire plant opens in Sri Lanka
[1]STARCO opens a solid-tire manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka.
- 2007
Gebr. Schaad AG acquired
[1]STARCO Group acquires Gebr. Schaad AG, later operated as STARCO GS.
- 2006
Expansion into Belarus and Ukraine
[1]The group extends its regional presence into Belarus and Ukraine.
- 2005
Italian and British expansion
[1]STARCO S.R.L. is established in Italy, and STARCO Europe invests in a British company that becomes part of STARCO DML Ltd.
- 2004
Belgian businesses acquired
[1]STARCO acquires tire and wheel companies in Belgium.
- 2002
Entry into Russia and relocation of agricultural-rim production
[1]STARCO expands into Russia and moves agricultural-machine rim production from Great Britain to Croatia.
Products and positioning
A specialized international supplier of tires, rims and complete wheel assemblies for OEMs, distributors and off-highway equipment markets, combining manufacturing, technical configuration and regional distribution.
Industrial and off-highway tires
Solid tires
STARCO manufactures and supplies solid tires for applications where puncture resistance, load support and operational durability are important. The group’s solid-tire activities include production in Sri Lanka and are positioned for industrial, material-handling and other specialized equipment markets.
Wheel components
Steel wheel rims
Steel rims are a core STARCO offering, including rims for agricultural machinery and other off-highway equipment. The company has used e-coat nanotechnology treatment in production to improve protective performance and support demanding operating environments.
Wheel components
Plastic rims
STARCO produces plastic rims as part of its broader wheel-component portfolio. These products complement the company’s metal-wheel activities and can be incorporated into specialized equipment and OEM wheel solutions where low weight or application-specific design is required.
Agricultural and off-highway wheel systems
Dual wheels
Dual-wheel systems form part of STARCO’s agricultural and off-highway product range. They are supplied as specialized wheel configurations for equipment applications requiring particular traction, load distribution or field-performance characteristics.
Specialized wheel assemblies
Flex barrow wheels
Flex barrow wheels are a specialized STARCO wheel product for barrows and related equipment. They illustrate the company’s focus on application-specific wheel assemblies in addition to standard tires and rims.
Original equipment solutions
OEM tire-and-wheel assemblies
STARCO supplies configured tire-and-wheel packages to original equipment manufacturers and distributors. Its network of OEM assembly centers supports the preparation of application-specific combinations rather than limiting the business to standalone tire or rim sales.
Brand decisions
2017
Sale of STARCO Group to KendaM&ABackground
After decades of family ownership and international expansion, STARCO became the subject of a corporate acquisition in the tire industry.
Action taken
Kenda acquired the STARCO Group.
Aftermath
STARCO became part of Kenda’s broader tire-manufacturing group. The purchase price, transaction structure and detailed post-acquisition integration plans are not provided in the reference material.
2012
Adoption of e-coat nanotechnology for steel wheelsOtherBackground
Steel wheel production requires corrosion protection suited to agricultural and industrial operating conditions.
Action taken
STARCO began implementing e-coat nanotechnology treatment during steel-wheel production.
Aftermath
The process was intended to improve the protective treatment of steel wheels. No independent performance or financial results are stated in the source.
2011
Establishment of a Sri Lankan solid-tire plantStrategyBackground
STARCO sought to expand its manufacturing base beyond Europe and strengthen its solid-tire production capability.
Action taken
The company opened a solid-tire manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka.
Aftermath
Sri Lanka became part of STARCO’s international production network. The available source does not provide plant capacity or investment figures.
2002
Relocation of agricultural-rim production to CroatiaStrategyBackground
STARCO was expanding its European manufacturing and distribution footprint and operated agricultural-machine rim production in Great Britain.
Action taken
Production of rims for agricultural machines was moved from Great Britain to Croatia.
Aftermath
The relocation made Croatia a significant production location within STARCO’s European network. No further quantified operational effects are available in the reference material.
Recent events
- 2017
Kenda acquires STARCO Group[1]
M&A
The STARCO Group was acquired by Kenda, a tire manufacturer, bringing the Danish-run tire and wheel business into Kenda’s corporate group.
- 2016
Peer Ejlersgaard, STARCO chairman and owner, dies[1]
Leadership change
Peer Ejlersgaard, who was identified as STARCO’s chairman and owner, died in 2016 after the company’s long period of family ownership.
Sources1 sources
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