MAN Truck & Bus, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) and Poland’s WB Group are joining forces to strengthen their position in Europe’s rapidly evolving defence market, combining military mobility with advanced communications, reconnaissance and unmanned technologies. Announced at the MSPO International Defence Industry Exhibition in Poland, the strategic partnership brings together three companies with complementary strengths in vehicles, engineering, defence systems and mission technologies.
Under the new “European Defence Initiative”, the partners will explore opportunities for joint development, integration and production of defence solutions aimed at meeting the changing operational requirements of European armed forces. At the heart of the cooperation will be scalable and interoperable military mobility solutions. MAN Truck & Bus and RMMV will contribute their established transport and military vehicle platforms, while WB Group will bring its expertise in command and communications systems, reconnaissance technologies and unmanned systems.
The companies will also jointly evaluate new business and technology opportunities, drawing on their respective engineering capabilities, industrial expertise and established positions across European markets. The objective is not simply to put more military trucks on the road, but to create integrated mobility solutions that can work alongside the increasingly sophisticated digital and unmanned systems being adopted by modern armed forces.
The MSPO exhibition also marked another significant development for MAN in Poland, with the company announcing the reactivation of the historic STAR brand for military logistics and support vehicles. MAN has bundled its military activities with Rheinmetall through their RMMV joint venture, and the two companies are now opening the STAR brand to potential partnerships with bodybuilders and other companies to further develop opportunities in Poland’s military sector.
At MSPO, MAN displayed a military logistics vehicle based on the MAN TGS 6×6, wearing the revived STAR name. Going forward, non-combat military vehicles based on MAN truck platforms will be offered under the STAR brand in Poland. These vehicles are intended not only for armed forces, but also organisations such as the Red Cross, emergency services and fire brigades. The approach combines STAR’s Polish heritage with contemporary MAN technology, local production and an established service network.
“The growing demand for logistics capabilities and the shifting geopolitical realities require strong industrial partnerships and reliable solutions,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus. “With our ‘Made in Poland’ approach and our revived STAR brand, we are combining local production, a strong service network and close cooperation with Polish partners to develop mission-oriented transport solutions.”
For Poland, the return of STAR is about more than simply reviving a familiar badge. Founded in 1948, STAR became one of the country’s most recognisable commercial vehicle manufacturers, with its trucks playing important roles in both civilian and military logistics for decades. The brand even found its way into history in 1979, when a STAR truck provided the basis for the first Popemobile used by Pope John Paul II.
Following MAN’s acquisition of the STAR truck business, the vehicles increasingly adopted MAN technology while retaining their Polish identity. Today, more than 10,000 STAR vehicles remain in service, providing a substantial reminder of the brand’s enduring legacy. The modern STAR range will be based on MAN’s current TGM and TGS series. These vehicles will benefit from contemporary vehicle technology, advanced driver assistance systems and modern safety features, while their chassis will be manufactured at MAN’s plant in Kraków.
The STAR revival also fits into MAN’s wider long-term commitment to Poland. MAN has maintained a presence in the country for more than three decades, making Poland one of its most important European markets and production locations. The company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Polish government covering around €1.2 billion in planned investment at its Kraków site.
The investment is intended to expand production capacity, prepare the facility for the next generation of MAN vehicles and increase local value creation. MAN currently employs around 7,000 people in Poland, with operations spanning truck production in Kraków, bus production in Starachowice, a Modification Centre in Sady and MAN TGE production in Poznań.
The Kraków truck plant is also undergoing a major expansion, with its production area set to more than double from approximately 130,000 square metres to 270,000 square metres. Once expanded, the facility will have the capacity to produce up to 300 vehicles and cabs per day, positioning it as a key manufacturing centre for MAN’s next-generation trucks, including electric models. MAN delivered around 9,000 vehicles in Poland in 2025, supported by almost 40 sales and service locations across the country.
