Rooted in Iowa, Fueled by Collaboration
For more than 35 years, Stellar Industries has built a name synonymous with durability, innovation, and impact. From its headquarters in rural Garner, Iowa, the 100% employee-owned company has grown into an internationally recognized manufacturer of high-performance work truck solutions—from hydraulic hooklifts to tire service trucks and cranes.
But despite its global reach, Stellar has never lost sight of the value of homegrown partnerships. That’s why their presence at the Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP) in Ames has become a strategic asset—enabling year-round engagement with student talent and expanding their engineering capacity through critical collaborations with CIRAS (Center for Industrial Research and Service).
Strategic Presence in Ames
Originally established in 2019, Stellar’s footprint in the ISU Research Park began as a way to keep promising Iowa State engineering interns engaged after their summer work ended. By offering a flexible part-time internship experience during the school year, Stellar has built a strong pipeline of future employees—without requiring students to leave Ames.
“We generally have two to four interns working out of the Park office each semester,” says Nathan Meyer, Lead Design Engineer at Stellar. “It’s allowed us to maintain meaningful connections with high-performing students and, in several cases, bring them on full-time after graduation.”
In recent years, this talent pipeline has expanded beyond engineering. Business, finance, IT, and marketing interns are now part of the program, and Stellar hopes to eventually support more of those roles in the Research Park. A larger office space—and even the addition of full-time team members in Ames—could be on the horizon.
Unlocking Resources Through CIRAS
While interns help fuel Stellar’s future, partnerships with Iowa State’s research ecosystem are helping to improve the products of today. CIRAS has become a key ally in engineering support, providing specialized lab services, materials testing, and performance analysis on demand.
“We’ve worked with CIRAS on everything from steel material evaluations to strength testing on critical equipment,” Meyer says. “They’re an extension of our capabilities, giving us access to tools and expertise we don’t have in-house. It saves us time and helps us move projects forward without overloading our internal team.”
Rather than dedicating full-time staff to complex analytical tasks, Stellar relies on CIRAS to provide timely insights and data-backed recommendations. The result: faster project development and smarter decision-making without interrupting the pace of operations.
A Rural Brand with Global Reach
Though Stellar’s hometown of Garner boasts a population under 3,000, the company’s impact spans continents. Its products support industries like construction, utility, transportation, and emergency services in markets around the globe. Recent acquisitions and expanded product lines have reinforced Stellar’s leadership in North America and abroad.
Still, recruiting top talent to a small community remains a challenge—especially as the workforce becomes more mobile. For Stellar, the Research Park provides a way to connect with students in Ames and keep them engaged, all while building brand awareness and credibility on campus.
“Some students hesitate to commit to a rural location,” Meyer says. “Having a presence in Ames helps us show them that they don’t have to choose between career growth and community. With Stellar, they can have both.”
Building for the Future
Looking ahead, Stellar expects its internship program and CIRAS partnership to continue growing—especially as more roles open up for year-round students in multiple disciplines. The company also sees potential in transitioning its Ames office into a more permanent location for remote employees, helping recruit professionals who want to live and work in a larger metro area while staying connected to a mission-driven Iowa company.
“Our office at the Research Park is more than a workspace—it’s a bridge,” Meyer says. “It connects us to future engineers, research partners, and the kind of collaborative innovation that’s helped us thrive for 35 years.”