Maybe they'd still be in business and maybe not. However, Star pistols were not the best Spanish pistols made. That would probably be Astra. I think I broke something on all the Star automatics I ever had. In no case did it ever disable the gun but still, not something that you really want to happen. The ejector came loose in the BKM I had and on a .380 (don't remember the model number), the slide stop/release broke. Again neither prevented the gun from firing. On the other hand, I found that on Colt .380 Government Models, it didn't take much to bend the spring that works the slide stop (no, I haven't looked up the technical term).
Star manufactured some very light 9mm pistols. Skeeter Skelton used to praise one called the Starlight, I think it was called.
All the Stars that I ever owned or examined were well finished, however, and if you liked Colts, you probably would like Stars. They weren't identical and the Star had a different trigger arrangement and never had a grip safety, I think. I suspect their weakness was the steel they used but Brownings have been accused of having "soft" steel, too.
I'd like to see a police or military holster for the BM.