MAN Truck & Bus, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) and Poland’s WB Group have formed a strategic partnership targeting European defence and mobility requirements. A key outcome is the revival of the STAR truck brand in Poland, decades after MAN acquired the marque.
Future STAR vehicles will be based on MAN’s TGM and TGS platforms, with chassis manufactured at MAN’s Kraków plant. The trucks will serve primarily as non-combat logistics and support vehicles for organisations including armed forces, emergency services, fire brigades and the Red Cross.
The announcement also highlights Poland’s expanding importance within MAN’s European industrial network. MAN is investing around €1.2 billion in its Kraków operations, where production space is set to more than double to 270,000 square metres, with capacity planned for up to 300 vehicles and cabs a day.
More than 10,000 STAR vehicles remain in service, giving the revived name considerable local recognition. The new strategy effectively combines that heritage with current MAN engineering, production and safety technology.
Why It Matters
The STAR revival is more than a branding exercise. It illustrates how Europe's commercial-vehicle industry is increasingly combining local manufacturing, established brands and modern platforms to build resilient regional supply chains.
