Nordic Pneu Joins Starco Group

On 1 December 2007 Starco NV will officially takeover Nordic Pneu. Nordic Pneu, based in Saint Arnoult en-Yvelines near Paris, is a tyre and wheel wholesaler that primarily sells to the French aftermarket in the agriculture, forestry, industry and passenger car segments. The company has an annual turnover of 12 million euros and has 12 employees. Karl Mjörndal has been both owner and daily manager of Nordic Pneu since 1986. According to a company statement Starco is the fastest growing company in its part of the industry and expects to achieve 125 million euros of turnover in 2007.

Nordic Pneu’s integration into the Starco Group is a natural step in view of the globalisation of the business and the “generational change” of the company, according to the companies. It also fits with Starco’s goal of distributing throughout Europe. For this reason the warehouse at Nordic Pneu has been selected to be one of Starco’s distribution centres on the ‘Hansa-line’. This line is said to symbolise Starco’s aftermarket strategy, which focuses on ensuring fast delivery of tyres and wheels for vehicles within the selected segments anywhere in Europe.

Commenting on the news, Karl Mjörndal managing director of Nordic Pneu commented: “[Now] we will appear much stronger on the French aftermarket and with the new product programme we expect to increase sales considerably. Moreover, at Nordic Pneu we have many exciting products and concepts which other Starco companies will be able to sell in the future.”

“I have known Karl Mjörndal for 40 years, and for the last 20 years Nordic Pneu has distributed Starco products to the French aftermarket. Thus for a long time we have had close contact and has built a close friendship” says Peer Ejlersgaard, managing director of the Starco Group, adding: “For this reason I am extremely pleased that we can make this announcement and that Karl Mjörndal continues as co-owner and daily manager of the company.”

The Starco Group is a family owned Danish company with 23 assembly and distribution companies strategically placed throughout Europe and Central Asia. In addition Starco has its own steel wheel factory in Croatia and a plastic wheel and polyurethane tyre factory in the UK. The company has more than 400 employees.