Tecstar-AM General joint venture to create 70-plus new jobs

Amstar LLC, a new joint venture formed by Tecstar LLC and AM General LLC, has started producing special-edition Hummer H2s at a facility in Fort Wayne. The company was awarded its initial contract by General Motors, parent company of AM General, in October. The contract calls for the creation of a special package of aftermarket performance, appearance and off-road products designed for Hummer enthusiasts.

Amstar's accessory packages will complement the General Motors special-equipment packages currently available to Hummer owners and will be available through Hummer dealers.

"The Amstar venture with AM General represents the next exciting chapter in Tecstar's second-stage manufacturing operations," said Mike Schoeffler, co-CEO of Starcraft Corporation (Nasdaq: STCR).

Tecstar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gohsen-based Starcraft. "Amstar's location in Fort Wayne positions it perfectly for Hummer H2 distribution to and from Amstar via the Fort Wayne GM Truck & Bus Manufacturing plant," Schoeffler continued.

Amstar will employ 74 production and parts distribution workers when it reaches full production in July 2005. The company is leasing space in the Harvester Park building at 3410 Meyer Road and investing approximately $500,000 in equipment and building improvements.

"We are very pleased to welcome Amstar to Fort Wayne as another supplier to the automotive industry," stated Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard. "The benefits to our community from companies like Amstar warrant investment from the community to assist their locating here." The City of Fort Wayne will provide a $200,000 interest-free loan payable over the term of the building lease to assist Amstar with startup requirements. In addition, Fort Wayne City Council may consider a tax abatement on certain production, distribution and IT equipment.

The Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance is working closely with Amstar, the State of Indiana and the City of Fort Wayne to explore assistance available for the project. Individuals interested in applying for positions with Amstar may submit a resume through the Tecstar LLC Web site, tecstarinc.com.