STELLAR INDUSTRIES WINS IOWA FARM BUREAU’S ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH AWARD FOR “LIFTING” RURAL IOWA ECONOMY

North America’s First Company to Make Hydraulic HookLifts Wins Renew Rural Iowa Award

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – May 27, 2011 – The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) is pleased to award the Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur of the Month Award to a Garner manufacturing company that is proving the strength and entrepreneurial spirit of rural Iowa towns. Stellar Industries, Inc., is an employee-owned company that designs and manufactures various types of hydraulic truck-mounted equipment used in various markets worldwide. Stellar produces a full line of hydraulic hooklifts, cable hoists, container carriers and more. In addition, the company produces telescopic service cranes, mechanic and tire service trucks, knuckleboom cranes and a full line of truck-mounted air compressors and heavy-duty drawer systems.

Stellar products are in worldwide demand. “Our bigger cranes, our earth-moving cranes, are being exported all over the world; just last year we shipped to China, Russia, Mexico, Chile and Tanzania,” says David Zrostlik, president of Stellar Industries. “We’ve come a long way since our company was founded in 1990, when we had three employees. Now, as a market-leading company, we have a fine staff of over 250 hard-working, dedicated employees who realize the importance of keeping our customers satisfied.”

Hancock County Farm Bureau leader Dave Smith says Stellar provides a strong anchor for Main Street in Garner. “It’s a very progressive company that has come along and over the years, they’ve done nothing but grow. The recent purchase of Kiefer Built, LLC, in Kanawha and the addition of a service and retail facility in the area are signs of Stellar’s innovation,” says Smith. “It’s impressive that it all starts right here in Garner, Iowa, a town of 3,100 people.”

Renew Rural Iowa (RRI) is an IFBF initiative that supports new and existing businesses through business education, mentoring and financial resources. RRI is kicking o a new entrepreneurial seminar series called “Innovation” on June 15 at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. The seminars are designed to introduce entrepreneurs and economic developers to the newest economic development tools. For more information on locations and to register, visit www.renewruraliowa.com

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