Stara reached a major milestone on 18 June with the official opening of its new Parts Distribution Centre in Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás. More than 400 customers, partners, employees and representatives from the Stara Dealer Network attended the event, which marked another important step in the company's long-standing commitment to innovation, close relationships with farmers and support for Brazilian agribusiness.
Located in one of Brazil's leading logistics hubs, the new centre will play a key role in Stara's parts distribution network. The Goiás facility will serve the northern regions of the country, while the distribution centre at the company's head office in Não-Me-Toque, Rio Grande do Sul, will continue to serve the southern regions. This arrangement brings stock closer to customers in Bahia, Goiás, Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Pará, Piauí, Rondônia, Roraima, Sergipe and Tocantins, reducing delivery distances and lead times.
The new centre expands Stara's parts distribution capacity and strengthens its after-sales support for farmers, providing shorter lead times, better parts availability and more efficient service.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Stara President and CEO Átila Stapelbroek Trennepohl highlighted the importance of the new facility. “This Parts Distribution Centre in Goiás marks the beginning of a new chapter for Stara. By expanding our infrastructure, we can work even more closely with farmers and our dealers. Our aim is to ensure that customers have the parts they need exactly when they need them, helping to keep their field operations running at full productivity,” he said.
Átila also emphasised that understanding and meeting farmers' needs has been central to Stara since its founding. “Both Stara and my family have their roots in farming. My grandfather, Seu Chico, was a farmer, so we understand farmers' needs and know just how valuable time is to them. That is why we continually invest in solutions, technology and infrastructure that help us provide the best possible service. This new Parts Distribution Centre is another example of that commitment,” he added.
Reflecting on Stara's continued growth, company co-owner Gilson Lari Trennepohl said its presence across Brazil's Central-West, North and Northeast regions had been built over more than four decades. “It is incredibly moving to see this become a reality. For more than 40 years, we have travelled across these regions, visiting customers, dealers and farmers, building relationships and gaining first-hand insight into the challenges facing the agricultural sector. Opening a facility on this scale in Goiás shows how far Stara has come and, above all, how committed we remain to those who place their trust in us.”
He also paid tribute to the people who have helped build the company. “There is a saying that has stayed with me since 1989 and sums up what we believe: 'None of us is as good as all of us.' A company is not built by one person. It is built by many people who work hard every day and move forward together,” he said. Reaffirming his confidence in Brazilian agribusiness, he added: “Stara will continue to evolve, just as agribusiness will continue to grow. We believe in Brazil's potential, in the strength of its farmers and in our ability to overcome challenges by working together.”
Following the opening ceremony, members of the local team took guests on a guided tour of the new facility before they attended a celebratory dinner.
Stara's new Parts Distribution Centre is Brazil's first agricultural machinery parts distribution centre to use AutoStore
Stara's new Parts Distribution Centre in Goiás has a floor area of 3,504.95 m² and a clear internal height of 15 metres. This height allows the available space to be used more efficiently, increasing the centre's overall storage capacity. The facility has six loading bays and 18,144 storage locations across its shelving, pallet racking, AutoStore system and external storage yard. It can accommodate 15,604 different parts and dispatch up to 14,000 items a day.
In addition to its strategic location and substantial storage capacity, the centre uses advanced automation across its operations, reflecting Stara's long-standing focus on innovation. It is the first agricultural machinery parts distribution centre in Brazil to use AutoStore, a robotic storage and order-picking system that speeds up receiving, picking and dispatch.
Stara Parts Manager Filipe Flores Quincoses explained how the system works. “Seven robots automate the storage and picking processes. The system organises items according to how frequently they are requested, keeping the most frequently accessed items near the top. This allows the required bins to be delivered to the operator more quickly, with an average retrieval time of 15 seconds.”
Integrated stock management systems, electronic monitoring, safety devices and traceability tools give the team greater control over operations. The technology speeds up order preparation, improves stock management and helps ensure that parts reach customers as quickly as possible. In some cases, depending on parts availability and the transport service selected, orders can be delivered within a few hours.
To meet its delivery targets without compromising service quality, Stara selected logistics providers capable of integrating with its systems. “We assessed and visited 38 logistics providers before selecting those that met Stara's standards,” said Quincoses.
Staff training was also a priority. Employees at the new centre received training in materials handling, interpreting technical drawings, company systems and AutoStore operation. Parts managers and buyers from the dealers served by the facility were also trained in the new logistics processes.
The Goiás Parts Distribution Centre is more than a logistics facility. It reinforces Stara's commitment to technology, innovation and outstanding customer service while extending the company's reach across Brazil. Above all, it reflects Stara's determination to remain close to farmers by providing faster access to parts and the reassurance that support is close at hand. After all, only those who make their living from farming truly understand the value of time.
