1990
Stellar Industries, Inc., was established as the first U.S. corporation to design and manufacture a domestic hydraulic hooklift hoist.
1993
Stellar acquired a company that designed and manufactured custom tire service trucks used by commercial, agricultural and OTR tire dealers.
1999
The Stellar telescopic crane line entered the market with its industry-first hexagonal-shaped boom design, 20' of all-hydraulic reach, radio remote control as a standard feature, and standard planetary winch with line speeds up to 60' per minute.
2002
American Eagle Accessories Group was created after the acquisition of a line of air compressors. Stellar has since developed into a leading manufacturer of truck-mounted air compressor and drawer systems.
2008
Stellar acquired the K-PAC solid waste handling equipment product line of Krause Corporation. The acquisition included hooklifts, cable hoists, container carriers and an automatic tarping system that complemented Stellar’s existing lineup of hooklifts and created opportunities in the waste, recycling and demolition markets.
2011
Stellar opened its first service and retail center,
Stellar Truck & Trailer, in Mason City, Iowa. The initiative established a service and maintenance location, as well as an outlet for North Iowa businesses to purchase new truck equipment and accessories.
2011
Stellar purchased the assets of Kiefer Built in Kanawha, Iowa, a manufacturer of horse, livestock, flatbed and utility construction trailers. Stellar operated under Kiefer Mfg for several years before selling all but the utility and telecom trailer line to an entrepreneur in Sneedsville, Tennessee.
2013
Stellar branched out from the Stellar® brand of products by purchasing Valley Industries in Hastings, Nebraska, a manufacturer of lube skids and fuel trailers under the LubeMate® and FuelMate® product lines.
2015
Stellar expanded production capacity for its Stellar brand of products at its Kanawha, Iowa, manufacturing facility.
2017
Stellar expanded its operations at its headquarters in Garner, Iowa, following the purchase of ACI assets.
2021
Stellar announced the asset purchase of MD Products and Solutions, a leader in agricultural and utility and telecom trailer products based in Mason City, Iowa. The purchase also expanded the company’s operational footprint with 270,000 square feet of additional production space.
2023
Stellar brought together a wide product lineup from a range of brands that once stood on their own. Uniting everything under the Stellar brand name simplified the brand for customers, allowed the brand’s reputation for quality to grow, and positioned the company for future product development and acquisitions.
2023
Stellar completed the transition to
100% employee-ownership. The team is fully invested in success for our customers, distributors and company, ensuring a continued commitment to innovation, quality and service. Full employee-ownership also helps us attract and retain the best employees.
2024
Stellar President Dave Zrostlik joined the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast for a two-part series, where he shares the story of Stellar’s evolution — from its entrepreneurial beginnings to its transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The conversation explores the company’s spirit of innovation, its journey to employee ownership and more.
2024
Stellar acquired Elliott Machine Works, a manufacturer of fuel trucks, lube trucks, water trucks, lube skids, vacuum tanks and other mobile service equipment. This acquisition complemented Stellar’s product lineup, enabling the company to reach a wider market by introducing additional solutions to align with customer needs.
2025
Stellar announced the acquisition of Elliott Equipment Company, an industry pioneer known for developing the first truck-mounted telescoping aerial platform and producing a full line of aerial work platforms, cranes and digger derricks. By integrating Elliott’s product lines and engineering expertise, Stellar strengthens its position in the work truck and lifting equipment markets.
2026
Stellar acquired Midwest Fire, a Luverne, Minnesota-based manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. The acquisition expands Stellar into the fire and emergency response market, adding nearly four decades of specialized apparatus experience and complementary manufacturing expertise to its growing portfolio.
