What Star Equipment, Ltd. does

Star Equipment, Ltd. is a family-owned construction equipment dealership founded in 1968 by the Bowman family and currently in its third generation of ownership. The company operates four full-line branches in Iowa — Des Moines (headquarters), Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Ames — serving contractors, municipalities, and industrial customers in Iowa and parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. Its core offering spans new and used equipment sales, a multi-category rental fleet, parts supply covering 50+ brands, and a full-service repair operation with 24-hour emergency field response.

The company represents more than twenty equipment manufacturers, including Takeuchi, Manitou, Gehl, Husqvarna Construction, Wacker Neuson, IMT, Elliott, Topcon, Somero, Multiquip, and Allen Engineering, with notable specialty depth in concrete placement (Somero laser screeds), positioning technology (Topcon GPS machine control and lasers), and service/lube truck bodies (IMT Dominator, Elliott HiReach). Distribution runs through branch showrooms, an outside territory sales force, field service technicians, and a self-serve rental ecommerce platform at rent.starequip.com. Financing is embedded through dedicated credit applications with Stearns Bank, Takeuchi Finance, Manitou (Gehl/Mustang) Finance, and Topcon Finance, including promotional 0% financing on select Takeuchi track loaders and excavators.

Star Equipment earns revenue across five streams: new and used equipment sales (one-time transactional), equipment rentals (usage-based, recurring), parts and supplies, service and repair labor, and facilitated financing. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The company's competitive basis rests on regional brand recognition, an established multi-brand product portfolio, parts and service infrastructure that creates customer lock-in, and a regional footprint that provides local responsiveness within its territory.

Name

Star Equipment, Ltd.

Legal name

Star Equipment, Ltd.

Website

https://starequip.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Star Equipment, Ltd. is a third-generation, family-owned construction equipment dealership operating four branches in Iowa, selling, renting, and servicing light-to-general construction equipment from 20+ brands for contractors, municipalities, and industrial customers across Iowa and five neighboring states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Equipment Dealership

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction & Industrial Equipment Rental/Leasing (Earthmoving, Material Handling, Aerial) (TLABAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bulk Material Handling Systems (Belt Conveyors, Feeders, Stackers, Reclaimers) (IMAHABAH)

Keywords

• Construction equipment dealership
• Construction equipment rentals
• Heavy equipment sales
• Construction equipment service
• GPS machine control

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: New and used construction equipment sales including skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, telehandlers, articulating loaders, wheel loaders, service trucks, concrete equipment, compaction equipment, and attachments. Multiple brands including Takeuchi, Manitou, Gehl, Husqvarna, IMT, Somero.
2. Equipment Rentals: Rental fleet of construction equipment including skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, aerial lifts and more. Operates through rent.starequip.com ecommerce platform with delivery and pickup services.
3. Service Trucks and Specialty Vehicles: Custom-built service trucks, crane trucks, lube trucks, and Elliott HiReach work platforms. IMT Dominator series with various crane ratings from 6,000 lb to 95,000 ft-lb lift capacity.
4. Parts and Supplies: Parts department with online parts request capability, obsolete parts availability, and parts for over 50 major equipment brands.
5. Service and Repair: Full service department with field service technicians, 24-hour emergency service availability, and maintenance programs for rental fleet and customer equipment.
6. Equipment Financing: Partnership with financial institutions including Stearns Bank, Gehl/Manitou Finance, Takeuchi Finance, and Topcon Finance for purchase financing. Star Credit Application for charge accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Star Equipment, Ltd. is a multi-location construction equipment dealership that sells new and used light-to-general construction equipment, rents an in-house fleet of skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, and aerial lifts, supplies parts for 50+ equipment brands, and provides repair and 24-hour emergency service across four Iowa branches. The dealership also facilitates equipment financing through partner financial institutions and specializes in GPS machine control, laser screeds, service trucks (IMT), and aerial work platforms (Elliott).

Product overview

Star Equipment, Ltd. is a family-owned construction equipment dealership (operated by the Bowman family since 1968) offering a comprehensive portfolio of equipment sales, rentals, parts, and service. The company operates as a multi-location dealer in Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Ames) serving contractors in Iowa and parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. Their product ecosystem comprises: (1) core dealership services including new and used equipment sales, rentals, parts & supplies, and repair/maintenance with 24-hour emergency service; (2) specialized product lines including IMT Dominator service trucks/lube trucks, Elliott HiReach cranes, and GPS/laser machine control systems (Topcon and Somero); and (3) representation of 20+ equipment brands including Takeuchi, Manitou, Gehl, Husqvarna Construction, Wacker Neuson, Multiquip, Allen Engineering, Somero, Schwing, Sullivan Palatek, Virnig, Honda Power, Cimline, Fecon, Green Climber, Kage, and LB White. Equipment categories span skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, telehandlers, wheel loaders, compaction equipment, concrete saws, trowels, screeds, generators, aerial lifts, service trucks, and attachments for light to general construction applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Equipment Sales Sale of new construction equipment including skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, telehandlers, articulating loaders, wheel loaders, service trucks, compaction equipment, concrete saws, trowels, screeds, mixers, and attachments from brands such as Takeuchi, Manitou, Gehl, Husqvarna, Wacker Neuson, IMT, Elliott, Somero, Topcon, Multiquip, Allen Engineering, Schwing, Sullivan Palatek, and Virnig. Targeted at construction contractors, municipalities, and industrial buyers in Iowa and adjacent states.
• Used Equipment Sales Sale of pre-owned/gently used construction equipment, with each piece undergoing inspection to ensure optimal performance and value. Targeted at contractors, rental companies, and budget-conscious buyers.
• Equipment Rentals Rental fleet of construction equipment including skid loaders, track loaders, excavators, aerial lifts, generators, concrete equipment, and compaction equipment, bookable online via rent.starequip.com or in person at any branch. Includes delivery and pickup services and is positioned as offering the most uptime of any rental company in Iowa.
• Parts & Supplies Parts department offering genuine parts and obsolete parts for all equipment sold, with online parts request capability and coverage for over 50 major equipment brands. Supports both in-house service operations and external customers maintaining their own fleets.
• Service & Repair Full-service repair and maintenance with field service technicians, 24-hour emergency service availability across all 4 branch locations, and maintenance programs for both the rental fleet and customer-owned equipment.
• Equipment Financing Financing facilitation through partner financial institutions including Stearns Bank, Gehl/Manitou Finance, Takeuchi Finance, and Topcon Finance, plus Star Credit Application for charge accounts. Includes Iowa sales tax exemption forms and brand-specific finance applications.
• IMT Dominator Service Trucks and Specialty Service/Lube Trucks Custom-built IMT Dominator series service trucks with patented floor structure, telescopic cranes (6,000 lb to 95,000 ft-lb lift capacity), air systems, and customizable compartments; IMT Contractor service truck bodies without crane; and IMT SiteStar lube trucks with 260 possible configurations for transporting fluids. Targeted at field service and equipment repair operators.
• Elliott HiReach Cranes and Aerial Work Platforms Telescopic aerial work platforms and cranes from 45 feet to 215 feet with full hydraulic extension eliminating cables and chains, piggyback cylinder arrangement for smooth operation, and ANSI A92.2 compliance. Targeted at elevated access, sign/utility, and material handling operations.
• Topcon GPS Machine Control Systems 3D and 2D GPS machine control systems for excavating, grading, paving, and earth moving, including GX-60 touch-screen display, MC-R3/MC-G3 GPS receivers, 3D-MC2 sensors for dozing/grading, and millimeter GPS for stringless paving with up to 2400m horizontal and 40m vertical working range.
• Topcon Laser Systems Self-leveling rotating lasers, pipe lasers, vertical interior lasers, and high-end dual slope lasers including RL-H4C, RL-SV2S, RL-200 1S/2S, and TP-L5 Series for grading, alignment, and paving applications.
• Somero Laser Screeds Ride-on and walk-behind laser screeds including S-940, S-840, S-485, Mini Screed C, and CopperHead XD 3.0 with OASIS laser control system for precise concrete floor leveling. Targeted at concrete contractors.
• Topcon GeoPositioning and Survey Equipment Total stations, GNSS receivers, and survey equipment including ES Series, OS Series, DS Series, PS Series, HiPer receivers, and MAGNET Field software for construction surveying and layout.
• Manitou Next Generation Track Loaders New-generation Manitou track loaders now available for purchase through Star Equipment's inventory and at all branch locations, extending its track loader offering from Manitou alongside the existing Takeuchi line.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most uptime of any rental company in Iowa

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dealer SpikecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform provider powering starequip.com with inventory management, online forms, and dealer website functionality for heavy equipment dealerships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Roland Machinery Company: Multi-brand construction equipment dealer based in Illinois serving the Midwest with Komatsu, Wacker Neuson, and other lines. Comparable breadth of brands, sales/rental/service model, and regional Midwest footprint adjacent to Star's territory.
• MacAllister Machinery Co., Inc. Indiana-based Caterpillar equipment dealer operating across Indiana and Michigan with sales, rental, parts, and service. Closely mirrors Star's full-line dealership model in an adjacent Midwest state.
• Altorfer Inc. Iowa-headquartered (Cedar Rapids-area) multi-brand heavy equipment dealer offering Caterpillar, Wacker Neuson, and other lines across Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and the Midwest. Most direct geographic and operating-model peer to Star Equipment as a regional multi-brand dealership.
• Honnen Equipment Co. John Deere construction equipment dealer with branches across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Nebraska. Comparable full-line sales/rental/service dealership model in a regional U.S. market.

Broad incumbents

• Caterpillar Inc. Global construction and mining equipment manufacturer whose dealer network (including Altorfer) competes for many of the same contractor accounts as Star. Not a direct match as Star represents competing brands (Takeuchi, Manitou, Gehl), but indirect competitor for end-customer wallet share.
• United Rentals, Inc. Largest equipment rental company in North America with thousands of branches. Competes with Star on rental fleet availability and pricing across the broader Midwest, though United is rental-only versus Star's full dealership model.
• H&E Equipment Services: National heavy equipment rental and sales company with a large branch network across the U.S. Comparable mix of new/used sales, rentals, parts, and service, but with broader geographic reach and public-company scale.
• Sunbelt Rentals: Major national equipment rental provider competing with Star for rental share. Comparable rental categories (aerial lifts, earthmoving, compaction) but much larger fleet and branch footprint.
• Bobcat Company: Major compact equipment manufacturer (skid steers, track loaders, excavators) that overlaps heavily with Star Equipment's compact lines (where Star carries Takeuchi, Gehl/Manitou instead). Comparable categories of equipment sold to similar contractor end-users.
• RDO Equipment Co. One of the largest John Deere and Vermeer dealer networks in the U.S., with dozens of locations across the Midwest, West, and Texas. Comparable business model (multi-brand equipment dealer with rentals and service) at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/star_equipment
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/StarEquipmentLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/star-equipment-ltd-150070781209
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-equipment-ltd.
• Instagraminstagram.com/star_equipment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Star Equipment, Ltd.