Starco, Kenda integrate European technical teams

Winsen, Germany – Taiwan's Kenda Tire is targetting a stronger European R&D as it combines its technical team with that of Starco's, with the move to combine its technical team with that of combining its European technical team with Starco's , its fu are combining their European technical teams in order to drive further technical improvements and leverage synergies, Starco announced in a recent statement. 

The move is part of Kenda’s “significant investment” in R&D in Europe and is aimed at supporting both companies’ growth in the region, said the Danish wheel and tire manufacturer which was acquired by Kenda four years ago.

“Since Kenda acquired Starco in 2017, the level of collaboration between technical teams in Europe and the US has grown," said the 19 March statement.

Now, it added, the companies are joining forces and combine technical resources into one organisation.

For now, the new European team will consist of 14 people and will be located at Starco’s Winsen office.

Starco’s technical director, Mike Green and his team will report to Frits van der Steege, Kenda’s European technical director.

“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,” said Steege.

Over the next few years, the company said it will build a new Kenda Europe technical centre and invest in equipment, personnel and capabilities.

The technical centre will help the company develop “both tires and wheels – not just rubber and steel, but also with polymers such as PU.”