Integrating the European STARCO and Kenda technical teams
In order to drive further technical improvements and leverage on synergies in the global technical setup, STARCO and Kenda are combining the two technical teams in Europe. This is a step in Kenda’s significant investments in research and development in technical setup in Europe and both companies’ European growth plans.
Kenda has invested significantly in research and development over the last few years, mainly in the US.
“This follows in the successful strategy that Kenda has followed in the US by heavily investing in Kenda America Technical Centre in Akron,” explains Richard Todd, who visited the centre last week. He continues, “The set up in Europe will be integrated and reinforced, with significant investment in personnel and equipment planned over the coming years.”
The new European team will be 14 employees and in total. Kenda has over 250 technical team members globally and this is expected to grow to 300 before 2022.
STARCO’s technical Director, Mike Green, and his team will report to the Kenda Europe organisation led by Frits van der Steege, Kenda’s European Technical Director located in STARCO’s Winsen office.
“We have no plans to make any employees redundant. The plans are actually to recruit additional engineers to our team to improve capabilities and resources to support growing our business,” says Frits van der Steege, Technical Director, Kenda Europe.
STARCO is known for the unique insight into the use of applications and knowledge of tyre and wheel performance – this capability will be further strengthened when joining forces with the Kenda technical team.
Over the next few years, the company will build a new Kenda Europe Technical Centre and invest in the necessary equipment, personnel and capabilities to develop both tyres and wheels – not just rubber and steel, but also with polymers such as PU.
Signup for newsletter


KENDA Celebrates 60 Years of Innovation
Six decades of continued innovation and excellence as a global leader in tyre development and manufacturingOur mother company, Kenda, one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers, recently commemorated its 60th Anniversary with a celebration at its Kenda American...

KENDA honoured with National Quality Award
One of 15 recipients of this highly regarded award in recognition of business quality in Taiwan We are proud to announce that our mother company, Kenda has received the “Best Practice Award” for manufacturing quality during the 26th National Quality Awards in Taiwan....

STARCO Huanmei investing in the future
STARCO marks an important milestone with the relocation to a brand new production facility The STARCO Huanmei joint venture with KENDA has played an essential role in supporting the group efforts to provide high quality, competitive steel wheels for trailers and...