starlim’s and sterner’s success story begins in 1974, when Franz Sterner founded the Franz Sterner GesmbH (today: Sterner Werkzeugbau GmbH). The founding of Starlim Gummi- und Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH (today: Starlim Spritzguss GmbH) followed a mere 10 years later. Since then, both have experience a meteoric rise and the two Marchtrenker companies have developed into well-established companies in Austria. starlim has even risen to become a global player and is now the largest processor of liquid silicone in the world!
You can now read all the highlights of the company’s history:
In order to meet the increased demand for products from the life sciences sector, space was created for a new clean room at the Marchtrenk location in 2020. This clean room now covers almost 1,380 m2 and is certified according to ISO 7/8 and GMP C / D. All processes can now be carried out directly in the clean room and guarantee maximum cleanliness.
The new training center in Wels opened its doors in 2019. Our apprentices can now develop freely and do their daily work on a wide variety of state-of-the-art machines in a facility spanning 3,000 m2. There are also modern seminar rooms for the trainees.
In order to live up to our status as a global player in the processing of elastomer parts and tool making, we took the time in 2019 to re-examine and reevaluate our own identity from the ground up and developed a new brand identity based on what we found to be the quintessence of our brand. The symmetry of our new logo symbolizes the precision and quality of our silicone parts.
The third starlim plant was completed in Lambach in 2019. The investment in the construction of a modern production facility was necessary in order to be able to offer the capacity reserves for future growth. Another added benefit is the creation of almost 100 new jobs. With this step, starlim is reiterating its committed to Austria as a business location for the long term.
Space for the training of apprentices was starting to become scarce in Marchtrenk. That is why sterner decided in 2018 to buy a building and convert it into a training facility. At the same time, part of the machinery was also replaced by newer machines. The conversion went ahead in great strides, so that the training of apprentices could soon be relocated to the new facility.
In 2018, our Canadian colleagues needed an expansion of their work space, seeing as the order books were full and every inch of every hall was taken up with injection molding machinery. It was an astounding increase of the building area by about 2.5 times its size. Since opening in 2005, the plant has been serving the entire American market.
The existing container conveyor technology in the logistics center was expanded in 2017. For example, a container stacking system was added so that production containers could be taken in and out of storage automatically. In the outgoing goods department, the removal of shipping pallets with gravity tracks was expanded and investment was made into an additional labeling robot.
With starlim’s rapid and unstoppable growth, the office building in Marchtrenk needed to an extension in 2016. This made it possible to take on additional employees for a wide variety of areas and to provide them with a modern office workplace. No one could tell at the time that this newly created space would soon become all too crowded again.
AMV Networks, which had previously belonged to AME, was integrated directly as a subsidiary of starlim in 2015 and moved to the company’s headquarters in Marchtrenk in 2016.
The expansion of the production area in Plant II in Weißkirchen began in September 2014. After just eight months of construction, the project was finished on May 2015. The increase in area of 3,200 m2 includes two production units, expanded storage space and rooms for quality management and technology.
The expansion of the production area in Marchtrenk, which broke ground only at the end of 2010, started its operation in the spring of 2012. The production area was increased by 70% to around 42,500 m2. The newly built production halls 6-9 offer space for 120 injection molding machines.
January 2012 saw the opening of a starlim sales office in Taicang, China. The first step was to open an office, which was enough at first. The medium-term plan, though, was also to construct a warehouse, and in the long-term a production facility. The Asian market holds great potential for starlim – car sales are increasing and with them the demand for silicone parts.
2011 was the year in which Poly-Nova Technologies joined the group of companies. Poly-Nova produces rubber products and special elastomers for the North American market.
At the end of 2009, the assets of a competitor who had fallen victim to bankruptcy were bought up – starlim now owns its company buildings, machines and patent rights. Work soon began to adapt the Plant II facility in Weißkirchen to starlim’s standards and enlarged by 600 m2 with an extension. 42 new injection molding machines have found space in Plant II.
In 2009, the extension of the tool shop in Marchtrenk was completed. In addition to various workshops for work steps such as eroding, turning and milling, investment was also made in a vast office space. The extension also included the addition of a lot of space for storage and archive areas.
With the commissioning of a fully automatic high-bay warehouse and logistics system in 2008, we enable a flexible and quick delivery of prefabricated parts to our customers. A lack of space in the tool shop led to the decision to expand by 4,200 m2 in 2007. Completed in March 2009, the relocation work begins.
Audio Mobil Elektronik is an electronics system supplier for the automotive industry. starlim began its cooperation with the company from Ranshofen near Braunau/AT in 2007.
The pharmaceutical and medical technology industry is a growing business segment. The 650-m2 clean room was put into operation in 2005. From then on, parts for the life sciences and electronics industries with strict requirements regarding freedom from dust and hygiene are injection molded and packaged in the clean room. In 2008, the room was upgraded from Class 7 and 8 according to ISO 14644-1 to GMP Class C or D.
starlim does not leave Europe out of its expansion and growth plans. Rather, the Group took up another cooperation, this time with the rubber specialist ATG s.r.l. in the Italian Castello d’Argile.
The decision to set up our own plant in North America was made in 2000. An extensive search for a location and a construction period of three years preceded the grand opening in June 2005, with 80 employees from Austria going over to get the ball rolling in the new starlim North America plant in London/Ontario.
In 2001 starlim entered into the first cooperation with a company from Reutlingen/DE which we are even now still proud to call our partner. Silcos GmbH (Silcos stands for Silicones, Coatings and Systems) specializes in the surface finishing of plastic and silicone parts and fits perfectly into the starlim portfolio.
As we made ourselves ready to greet the new millennium, we also welcomed the new management. Franz Sterner handed over the entire management of the company, with its various nuances and subtleties, to his son-in-law Thomas Bründl. The two had been on the management board together for five years.
Accommodating both tool making and production under one roof take up a lot of space, and it is only a question of time until a separate, dedicated production facility is needed. After completion of the starlim building, we started production in 1997 with three halls and only three machines. “We’ll never get this hall full,” was the statement of an employee at the time, but he soon saw just how wrong he was.
Starlim Gummi- und Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH (today: Starlim Spritzguss GmbH) was founded in 1984 and as early as 1987 – an important milestone in the history of starlim and sterner – Franz Sterner produced LSR injection molded parts himself for the first time.
Just two years after the company was founded, it found its first apprentice and trained him as a toolmaker. This is the starting signal for a tradition of excellent apprentice training that was to follow.
At the young age of only 24, Franz Sterner founded his company – Franz Sterner GesmbH (today: Sterner Werkzeugbau GmbH). He quickly made a name for himself as a contract manufacturer of tools, handling and automation systems as well as a provider of grinding services. Initially, the trained toolmaker did everything out of a garage, later he upgraded and moved his operation to his own factory. The orders – at this time mainly from the European market – were flowing in in a constant stream and an own building is inevitable. The sterner building began construction.
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