Dexstar Wheel celebrates 50th anniversary

ELKHART, Ind. — North American wheel manufacturer Dexstar Wheel Co. is celebrating 50 years in business by looking to the future. The company has designed a new logo and website and is in the process of expanding and adding jobs to its Indiana facility.

The Kenda Tire Group subsidiary manufactures steel rims and wheels for Kenda in North America and serves some of the largest original equipment manufacturers and distributors in the trailer and RV industries.

The Elkhart-based company said throughout its history it has maintained a "philosophy of continuous improvement delivered by quality people to exceed customers' expectations."

While the company celebrates its past, Dexstar also is looking ahead to the future.

"As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we must be anticipating the next 50 years," Bill Blumka, general manager, Dexstar Wheel, said. "We are continually expanding our resources, refining our services, and evolving to ensure we have the foundation to continually anticipate shifts in the market, technology advancements and customer preferences."

Last October, Dexstar was awarded up to $590,000 in tax credits by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for an expansion project.

The investment, the company said, allows Dexstar to build upon its position as a provider of high-quality wheels to the RV industry in Northern Indiana, expand other offerings across several segments and continue its growth in the Elkhart community.

The company has pledged to hire up to 60 new full-time employees. The existing and newly created production and support staff jobs are high paying, the company said. Dexstar is looking to add employees in shipping and receiving, quality assurance, production managers, engineering and industry innovations.

Dexstar said the core of its business is built around its engineering and technical capabilities; and automation is only strengthening that core. Investment in technology and automation helped increase production ensured "tighter quality controls throughout the manufacturing process," the company said. It also allows the company to be more diverse — offering customers a wide range and variety of steel wheel designs and configurations.

The Dexstar expansion will allow for more space for inventory, finishing goods and product specialization.

"By leveraging state-of-the-art systems like powder and e-coating, pad printing, and fully automated wheel welders, Dexstar is able to stay on the cutting edge of innovation in the industry to better meet customer needs," the company said.

For over 15 years, Dexstar has been adhering to ISO 9001 standards. Recently, the company said it participated in a thorough and extensive recertification audit of the business and manufacturing process, which was facilitated by a third party. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the globally recognized quality management standard. ISO 9001:2015, the most updated standard, focuses on quality management systems and performance, which helps companies align their management system with their business strategy.

The ISO 9001:2015 standards are followed throughout Dexstar, from customer service to manufacturing and distribution. It is one of many ways Dexstar's customers can trust they are consistently receiving high-quality steel wheels to meet their needs, the company said.

As part of this milestone celebration, the company recently unveiled a new logo and website that is easy to navigate and provides comprehensive information about Dexstar's products. The website will continue to evolve, with the second phase of updates planned for later this year, the company said, that will include access to a new catalog, career opportunities and video highlights of the company's first 50 years.

"For 50 years the company has been known as a premier provider of high-quality wheels, focused on developing products that are geared to industry trends and meet the future needs of their consumers," Jeff Pizzola, COO, American Kenda Industrial Rubber, said. "Dexstar's dedicated and expert team is the cornerstone of the company's success, delivering excellence, quality and reliability to customers."