Starco preparing for further Eastern Europe growth

Agricultural and other primary resource industries continue to play a leading role in the economic growth and social development of the former Soviet republics. In these nations, agriculture, natural resource development and the construction industry have always been at the forefront of economic development, and this is now being further facilitated by the growth of private enterprise, an influx of foreign investment capital and a general recovery from the global economic recession.

The market potential this region offers was first recognised by tyre and wheel supplier more than a decade ago. Starting in 2000, the Starco Eastern Group of companies has operated out of its offices and warehouses in Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Baltic nations and established the infrastructure necessary to serve these markets – an infrastructure that, the Danish company comments, combines local expertise with the manufacturing and logistics support of the entire Starco group. The company’s entire wheel and tyre product range is available to Starco eastern region customers, however the primary focus there is in the agricultural, construction and natural resource industries.

This year the Starco Eastern Group is implementing new initiatives it says follow market needs. In early March, the Moscow branch of the Starco Eastern Group – Starco Russia – moved to new premises in the suburb of Scherbinka. With 140 square metres of office space and a 1,200 square metre warehouse, Starco says the new premises are optimised for the company’s stock volume requirements. Relocation to a new office in Moscow has also solved the telecommunication and IT issues that previously posed a serious problem to the company’s daily operations, Starco adds.

New developments are also taking place in the Ukraine. Until recently this Eastern European country with an area of 603.7 thousand square kilometres and a population of more than 45 million people was served by a single Starco company operating in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. To meet future needs – not least the requirements of the growing agricultural and industrial markets, Starco Eastern Group is in the process of registering a new Kiev-based entity. Together, the two Starco entities will serve both the Ukrainian and Russian language markets – as well as customers from the smaller Romanian, Polish and Hungarian speaking minorities. A major focus for the new entity will be the promotion of Schaad dual wheels, combined with support for Starco’s agricultural and industrial aftermarket customers. Vladimir Boger has been appointed as director of the new Kiev operation.