Starion
Starion is a South Korean manufacturer producing commercial refrigeration and kitchen equipment (direct/indirect-cooling refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers), precision components (micro switches, evaporators, condensers), and ODM/OEM services for global white-goods OEMs. It serves Korean commercial food-service dealers and OEMs including LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway and Cuckoo from manufacturing facilities across eight countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBusan, South Korea
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Starion does
Starion Co., Ltd. (스타리온 주식회사) is a privately held South Korean manufacturer headquartered in Busan, organized around three business divisions: branded commercial kitchen equipment, precision components, and ODM/OEM services for global white-goods OEMs. The company produces stand-type and table-type commercial refrigerators in direct-cooling (직냉식) and indirect-cooling (간냉식) variants, plus specialized refrigeration (soju freezers, slush coolers, broth coolers, bakery showcases), commercial dishwashers, ice makers, food warmers and UV sanitizers, and is positioned as the first Korean manufacturer to integrate Wi-Fi into commercial refrigerators for remote monitoring and digital temperature control. The precision-components side includes high-precision micro switches (0.1A to 21A ratings, produced since 1997 across six automated lines at 80 million units/year annual capacity), evaporators, condensers, gas valves, LGP/LCM/BLU precision parts, injection-molded components, magnesium die-cast steering wheel hub cores, and ODM/OEM assembly of washing machines, refrigerators and kitchen appliances.
The go-to-market is split: branded commercial-kitchen appliances move through 50+ authorized dealers across Korean cities and through major Korean e-commerce platforms (e-himart, GS Shop, CJmall, Lotte.com, SSG.com), plus trade-show presence at Seoul International Food Industry Expo; the parts and ODM/OEM business is supplied direct to global OEMs including LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway and Cuckoo. Manufacturing is operated through a wholly-owned subsidiary network spanning eight countries — South Korea (Changwon, Busan subsidiaries of Sungchull), China (Huizhou, Nanjing, Taizhou), India (Noida, Pune), Indonesia (Wooin), Mexico (Reynosa, Monterrey), Poland (Warsaw) and Russia (Moscow). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; revenue is also not publicly disclosed.
Starion claims 50+ years of commercial refrigeration brand heritage (the legal entity Starion Co., Ltd. carries a 2016 copyright date), holds micro-switch certifications to UL, cUL, CSA, VDE, SEMKO, CQC, KS and CE, and was awarded the 13th Korea Product of the Year Award in the commercial refrigerator category in 2021. In December 2025 the company extended its footprint beyond kitchen equipment into secure satellite communications via the SECUSAT project with GomSpace, DLR (German Aerospace Center), KiviCore and ESA — a notable directional pivot. CEO is Jung Jang-won (정장원); headcount is in the 1,001-5,000 band.
Starion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Starion
- Legal name
- 스타리온 주식회사 (STARION CO., LTD.)
- Website
- https://starion.co.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Starion is a South Korean manufacturer producing commercial refrigeration and kitchen equipment (direct/indirect-cooling refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers), precision components (micro switches, evaporators, condensers), and ODM/OEM services for global white-goods OEMs. It serves Korean commercial food-service dealers and OEMs including LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway and Cuckoo from manufacturing facilities across eight countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Starion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment
- NAICS
- Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)
- SIC
- Household Appliances (3630)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refrigeration & Freezer Retail (Refrigerators, Freezers, Wine/Beverage Coolers) (CRACACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty Kitchen Appliances Retail (Sous Vide, Dehydrators, Ice Cream) (CRACADAF)
Keywords
Where Starion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Busan
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices13 records
Markets served
Starion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commercial Appliances Sales: Direct sales of commercial refrigerators, kitchen appliances, and table-type refrigeration units to food service businesses through dealer network
- ODM/OEM Parts Manufacturing: Manufacturing and supply of precision components including micro switches, evaporators, condensers, steering wheel hub cores, and injection molded parts to major global appliance brands
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Starion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Starion manufactures and sells commercial kitchen equipment — stand-type and table-type commercial refrigerators, specialized refrigeration units (soju freezers, slush coolers, broth coolers, bakery showcases), commercial dishwashers, ice makers, food warmers, and UV sanitizers — through a Korean dealer network and online retailers. It also manufactures precision components including micro switches, evaporators, condensers, gas valves, automotive steering wheel hub cores, and provides ODM/OEM manufacturing services for global appliance brands such as LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway, and Cuckoo.
Product overview
Starion is a Korean home appliance and commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer producing standalone products including stand-type and table-type commercial refrigerators, specialized refrigeration units (soju freezers, slush coolers, bakery showcases), food warmers, dishwashers, and ice makers. The company also operates a parts business manufacturing micro switches, automotive components (steering wheel hub cores), precision parts (LGP, LCM, BLU), and offers ODM/OEM manufacturing services for home appliances. The product portfolio is organized around three divisions: Brand Appliances (commercial kitchen equipment), Parts Business (micro switches, automotive parts, precision components), and ODM/OEM services for white goods manufacturers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Micro Switch: High-precision microswitch products for home appliances, industrial equipment, and medical devices. Production started in 1997 with fully automated manufacturing processes.
Products and services
- Stand-type Commercial Refrigerators (스탠드형 상업용 냉장고) Stand-type commercial refrigerators available in direct-cooling and air-cooling systems, including energy-efficient Grade 1 models, meat aging cabinets, and kimchi refrigerators for commercial kitchen use.
- Table-type Commercial Refrigerators (테이블형 상업용 냉장고) Table-type refrigerators designed for commercial kitchens, including drawer-type, gimbap topping refrigerators, side dish refrigerators, and standard table refrigerators in various sizes with direct-cooling and indirect-cooling variants.
- Specialized Commercial Refrigerators (기타 상업용 냉장고) Specialized commercial refrigerators including indirect-cooling soju freezers, slush coolers, broth coolers, noodle cooling units, bakery display cases, and refrigeration/freezer showcases.
- Commercial Dishwashers (식기세척기) Commercial dishwashers including cold-water and hot-water models with automatic detergent supply and high-temperature washing capabilities, for restaurants and foodservice establishments.
- Ice Makers (제빙기) Commercial ice makers producing cube-shaped ice in various capacities for bars, restaurants, and food service operations.
- Food Warmers and UV Sanitizers (보온고/소독기) Commercial food warmers and UV sanitizers for dishes and utensils in foodservice establishments.
- Micro Switches (마이크로 스위치) High-precision micro switches from 0.1A to 21A rating, produced since 1997 with full automation across 6 production lines (80 million units/year). Used in home appliances, industrial equipment, and medical devices. Certified to UL, cUL, CSA, VDE, SEMKO, CQC, KS, and CE standards.
- Parts Business (Evaporators, Condensers, Gas Valves, Precision Components) Component parts including evaporators (TOP MOUNT, SIDE BY SIDE, BOTTOM FREEZER configurations), condensers (SPIRAL, WIRE types), gas valves, press parts for automobiles and home appliances, precision parts (LGP, LCM, BLU), and injection molding components for OEM customers.
- ODM/OEM Manufacturing Services (Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Kitchen Appliances) Original design and ODM/OEM manufacturing services for washing machines, refrigerators (home and commercial use), and life/kitchen appliances, supplied to global appliance brands such as LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway, and Cuckoo.
- Automotive Steering Wheel Hub Cores (자동차 스티어링 휠) Automobile steering wheel hub core components and magnesium die-casting parts, produced by subsidiary Starion Ilwoo.
Companies that use Starion
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Starion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Starion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GomSpaceminorStarion is a European partner in GomSpace's SECUSAT project with ESA, developing security-enhanced NanoCom satellite product line with next-generation cryptographic and secure communication protocols. This supports governmental, defense, and future deep-space missions.
- DLR (German Aerospace Center)minorEuropean collaboration partner in SECUSAT project for secure satellite communications, working with Starion and other European partners on quantum-safe communication protocols.
- KiviCoreminorEuropean partner in GomSpace's SECUSAT ESA project for secure space communications development.
- Hansol Cooking Academy (한솔요리학원)coreBusiness partnership for kitchen equipment supply and startup consulting. Starion provides commercial refrigerators and kitchen facilities to Hansol cooking academy students and entrepreneurs, while both parties collaborate on government-supported food service business projects.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Starion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hoshizaki: Japanese-headquartered global leader in commercial refrigeration and ice makers for foodservice. Most directly comparable peer to Starion's commercial refrigerator, freezer, and ice maker product lines serving restaurants and hotels.
- True Manufacturing: US-based manufacturer of commercial refrigerators, freezers, and food service equipment. Comparable in product mix (reach-in commercial refrigeration, display cases) and foodservice customer profile.
- Turbo Air: Korean-origin commercial refrigeration manufacturer serving the same foodservice and convenience-store segments as Starion, with overlapping product categories including reach-in refrigerators and freezers.
- Winia Electronics (formerly Daewoo Electronics): Korean appliance maker with strong position in kimchi refrigerators and commercial refrigeration — directly overlapping Starion's stand-type commercial refrigerator and kimchi refrigerator categories.
Broad incumbents
- Welbilt (Ali Group): Global commercial foodservice equipment manufacturer (formerly Manitowoc Foodservice) covering cooking, refrigeration, and warewashing. Comparable end-customer base in commercial kitchens with broader portfolio than Starion.
- LG Electronics: Korean major appliance and commercial HVAC giant. While a Starion OEM customer for micro switches, LG also produces commercial refrigeration and competes at the high end of the Korean foodservice equipment market.
- Samsung Electronics: Global appliance manufacturer and one of Starion's micro switch OEM customers. Samsung's home and commercial appliance business is broader but overlaps at the consumer-grade refrigeration adjacent to Starion's commercial lines.
- Carrier Commercial Refrigeration: Global manufacturer of commercial refrigeration systems (Hussmann, Carrier) serving supermarkets and foodservice. Comparable in commercial refrigeration scale and product breadth, though focused on larger integrated systems.
- Panasonic Appliances: Japanese appliance giant with commercial refrigeration and kitchen equipment offerings across Asia-Pacific, overlapping Starion's Korean and Southeast Asian foodservice customer base.
Regional players
- Hoshizaki America / Subsidiary: Hoshizaki's US subsidiary represents Starion's competitive set in the North American commercial foodservice channel, particularly in ice and refrigeration where Starion's Mexican manufacturing facilities supply from.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Starion social profiles
Digital presenceStarion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Starion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Starion subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries16 records
Starion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Starion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Starion
What does Starion do?
Starion manufactures and sells commercial kitchen equipment — stand-type and table-type commercial refrigerators, specialized refrigeration units (soju freezers, slush coolers, broth coolers, bakery showcases), commercial dishwashers, ice makers, food warmers, and UV sanitizers — through a Korean dealer network and online retailers. It also manufactures precision components including micro switches, evaporators, condensers, gas valves, automotive steering wheel hub cores, and provides ODM/OEM manufacturing services for global appliance brands such as LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Sharp, Coway, and Cuckoo.
Is Starion a public or private company?
Starion is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Starion founded?
Starion was founded in 2016. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Starion based?
Starion is headquartered in Busan, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Starion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Commercial Appliances Sales are the primary driver. The others are ODM/OEM Parts Manufacturing.
Who are Starion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hoshizaki, True Manufacturing, Turbo Air and Winia Electronics (formerly Daewoo Electronics). Broad incumbents are Welbilt (Ali Group), LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration and Panasonic Appliances. Hoshizaki America / Subsidiary is listed as a regional player.
Does Starion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Starion.
What industry is Starion in?
Starion's product category is Commercial Kitchen Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACACAB, Refrigeration & Freezer Retail (Refrigerators, Freezers, Wine/Beverage Coolers), with a secondary code of CRACADAF, Specialty Kitchen Appliances Retail (Sous Vide, Dehydrators, Ice Cream). Its NAICS code is 33341 and its SIC code is 3630.