Hidden champion from Upper Austria:
STI Steyr
delivers to around 40 countries worldwide – according to Managing Director Judith Ringer, the Austrian business is also set to grow in the future. Product families are currently being relocated to Austria and employees are being hired.
Ms. Ringer, could you please start by briefly outlining the history of your company?
The name Steyr Trucks International (STI Steyr for short) reveals our roots: We come from the former Steyr Group. We are the legal successor to Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Saudi Arabia – which is why we are allowed to use the name Steyr Trucks Sales and Services International. My husband, Friedrich Ringer, started as Managing Director of Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Saudi Arabia. In the course of the sale to Magna, the latter divested itself of the Saudi Arabian business, which was privatized in 2001. Shortly afterwards, in 2005, we founded a company in Austria: the aim at the time was to supply spare parts for the special trucks that run in Saudi Arabia.
Does that sound like a solid basis?
Definitely. We were then able to land very interesting major orders in Saudi Arabia. Among thousands of new vehicles, 2,500 Pinzgauer TDs between 20 and 30 years old were modernized. As a result, we set up a production facility in the United Arab Emirates and then further developed our product range there with protected vehicles. We also have our own test track there – for testing our vehicles under desert conditions.
In principle, you have a very broad base, don’t you?
Yes, the product range extends from tactical vehicles and military trucks to special bodies and many special solutions – depending on our customers’ needs. As far as the specialty business is concerned, our company philosophy is: “We don’t produce off-the-peg off-road vehicles”, because: We take a very specific approach to customer-specific requirements. To this end, we also have an international network of OEMs and component manufacturers.
Do you have concrete examples of customer specifications?
For example, mobile emergency vehicles, but we have also developed mobile helicopter refueling systems specifically for one customer, as well as ambulances for use in the field.
How exactly did the site here in Waldneukirchen near Steyr come about?
A stroke of luck was responsible for this: we were able to take over Straßmayr GmbH at the site in 2009. At that time, we also entered into the production of special and customized machines for road construction – a business we are still in. Subsequently, we also handled the superstructures and delivery of special trucks for Saudi Arabia from Austria and based our entire development here.
But you are now planning a further expansion, aren’t you?
We now want to take off with our vehicles in Europe – and, of course, with the armed forces. Our products have been used by the
Austrian Armed Forces
and, of course, there is a growing desire on the part of Austrian politicians to produce in this country with regard to supply chains. Although we have a global presence, research and development mainly takes place in Austria, as already mentioned – and production will also take place here in the future. We are therefore already relocating some product families to Austria, we are creating jobs here and also have plans for a new plant.
“Although we have a global presence, research and development mainly takes place in Austria, as already mentioned – and production will also be carried out in Austria in the future.
"STI Steyr Managing Director Judith Ringer
But you also have a production site in Thailand.
Exactly, this site is particularly important for the light vehicles. And: tool and body construction takes place there. We also have a shareholding in Spain, where we make truck bodies. The positive thing about this is that our location there also gives us a presence in South America. Our partners include international companies and we also have several other collaborations with well-known companies in the defense sector. All in all, we export products to more than 40 countries – on four continents.
How many employees work for STI in total?
There are currently between 400 and 500, although we are clearly in the project business. If orders come in, it can quickly become a lot more.
Could you please briefly outline your overall strategy for Steyr Trucks International?
The basis of our business is that we offer the best vehicles in our sector. They are characterized by easy handling, low weight, high payloads, excellent mobility, robustness and reliability. This means that we are operating in an absolute niche, albeit a niche that is attracting increasing interest from the armed forces. And as long as we can offer constantly updated solutions, we will be successful. STI Steyr is a global quality brand: still today – and certainly tomorrow.
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