With an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday for their new offices and customer facilities, Star Manufacturing plans on hiring 35-40 people to fill openings in technical, customer service and engineering jobs.

“I have to give credit to the team,” said John Perruccio, Group President for Star Manufacturing in Smithville and South Bend Manufacturing in North Carolina. “In 10 weeks moved people and technology that just wouldn’t have happened without the people involved. Everyone just jumped in and owned it.”

Chamber Director Suzanne Williams and former chamber president Kathy Hendrixson, sponsored  the ribbon cutting event which was attended by County Mayor Tim Stribling, Star employees and officials of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

“I want to say thank you to Star Manufacturing for the investment they made years ago in this county and for maintaining jobs and adding new jobs here today. This company has been here long enough that they have provided jobs for people in DeKalb County who have now retired,” said Mayor Stribling. “That means a lot that you have served the people of DeKalb County well and hopefully the people of DeKalb County have served Star well.”

Star Manufacturing was founded in 1921 in St. Louis, Missouri and quickly became a leading supplier of a wide range of restaurant equipment – their name became synonymous with hot dog (“red hots”) machines, fryers, popcorn makers and toasters. Over time they outgrew their manufacturing plant in St. Louis, and opened a factory in Smithville, Tennessee in 1982, eventually expanding it in 1990.

With their acquisition of Toastwell in 1997, Star added a range of new products to our catalog, including two-sided grills (aka – panini’s), drawer warmers, popup toasters and waffle bakers. In 2000 Star acquired the Holman brand, adding conveyor ovens and conveyor toasters to our growing product line The Lang brand was acquired by Star in 2006, adding convection ovens, ranges and a robust Marine equipment line.

Still proudly Made in the U.S.A., the plant in Smithville, Tennessee is home to all the Star Group brands, including Star, Wells, Lang and Toastmaster