The first White–Western Star truck rolled off the production line in Canada in 1967 and quickly proved the manufacturer’s claim for outstanding performance and reliability in the demanding logging applications in the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

Western Star Trucks were first introduced to Australia in 1983, with its main assembly line located at Brisbane. Business interests associated with the owner of Western Star Trucks Australia acquired the North American parent company in 1991, successfully floating the company on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1994. In 2000, the North American company was purchased by Daimler Chrysler with the Australian division remaining Australian owned.

In the 35 years since Western Star was unveiled in North America, the versatility and integrity of the product and the company hasn’t changed. It has successfully competed in such diverse markets as the oil fields of the Middle East, the tough military requirements of Kuwait, the mountains of Indonesia and the rugged Australian outback. Western Star Trucks are proud of a reputation for building world-class heavy-duty trucks, which are custom crafted and highly dependable.

MAN is one of the oldest and leading industrial enterprises in the German engineering industry. Its origins date back to the beginning of the industrial revolution on the European continent, the time of the first railways, the time when the continent was opened up by new roads, more bridges, and canals.

In 1893, the pioneering engineer Rudolph Diesel began developing the principles of the compression ignition combustion engine that would later be named after him. Construction and testing of the first Diesel engine was carried out at the MAN Augsburg works. In 1898, four engines were built for exhibition and demonstration purposes, two of which were made in the MAN plants at Nuremberg and Augsburg. Over one hundred years later the diesel engine powers the majority of heavy vehicles globally. And MAN continues to produce vehicles that are amongst the most technologically advanced in the world.

In 1971 MAN acquired the old and respected name of Bussing, and the Bussing trademark lion now forms part of the MAN truck and bus division trademark.

In 2000 Western Star Trucks Australia acquired distribution exclusivity for all MAN products within Australia/NZ and created MAN Automotive Imports. Western Star Trucks Australia and MAN Automotive Imports merged as a result of this acquisition, with sales and after sales support services conducted out of the WSTA/MAI Asia Pacific Headquarters located in Brisbane, Queensland. WSTA/MAI employs 200 people with a varied and diverse range of skills all gathered for one purpose, the sale and after sale support of MAN truck/bus and Western Star truck products. Sales and after sales service is provided throughout the country via 55 separate dealer outlets, each dedicated to the products longevity in the Australian marketplace. WSTA/MAI also have dealer representation in New Zealand, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.