diff --git a/src/gmio_core/internal/string_parse.c b/src/gmio_core/internal/string_parse.c
index fd6cd91..6d594ed 100644
--- a/src/gmio_core/internal/string_parse.c
+++ b/src/gmio_core/internal/string_parse.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "string_parse.h"
 
 #include "helper_stream.h"
+#include "string_utils.h"
 /*#define GMIO_USE_FAST_ATOF*/
 #ifdef GMIO_USE_FAST_ATOF
 #  include "fast_atof.h"
@@ -72,17 +73,6 @@ const char *gmio_next_char(gmio_string_stream_fwd_iterator_t *it)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-GMIO_INLINE int gmio_clocale_isspace(char c)
-{
-    return c == 0x20      /* space (SPC) */
-            || c == 0x09  /* horizontal tab (TAB) */
-            || c == 0x0a  /* newline (LF) */
-            || c == 0x0b  /* vertical tab (VT) */
-            || c == 0x0c  /* feed (FF) */
-            || c == 0x0d  /* carriage return (CR) */
-            ;
-}
-
 void gmio_skip_spaces(gmio_string_stream_fwd_iterator_t *it)
 {
     const char* curr_char = gmio_current_char(it);
diff --git a/src/gmio_core/internal/string_utils.h b/src/gmio_core/internal/string_utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3634c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gmio_core/internal/string_utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+** GeomIO Library
+** Copyright FougSys (2 Mar. 2015)
+** contact@fougsys.fr
+**
+** This software is a reusable library whose purpose is to provide complete
+** I/O support for various CAD file formats (eg. STL)
+**
+** This software is governed by the CeCILL-B license under French law and
+** abiding by the rules of distribution of free software.  You can  use,
+** modify and/ or redistribute the software under the terms of the CeCILL-B
+** license as circulated by CEA, CNRS and INRIA at the following URL
+** "http://www.cecill.info/licences/Licence_CeCILL-B_V1-en.html".
+****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef GMIO_INTERNAL_STRING_UTILS_H
+#define GMIO_INTERNAL_STRING_UTILS_H
+
+#include "../global.h"
+
+/*! Returns non-zero if \p c is a space (for C-locale), zero otherwise */
+GMIO_INLINE int gmio_clocale_isspace(char c)
+{
+    return c == 0x20      /* space (SPC) */
+            || c == 0x09  /* horizontal tab (TAB) */
+            || c == 0x0a  /* newline (LF) */
+            || c == 0x0b  /* vertical tab (VT) */
+            || c == 0x0c  /* feed (FF) */
+            || c == 0x0d  /* carriage return (CR) */
+            ;
+}
+
+/*! Returns true if \p c1 compare equals to \p c2
+ *
+ *  Comparison is case-insensitive
+ */
+GMIO_INLINE gmio_bool_t gmio_clocale_char_iequals(char c1, char c2)
+{
+    return c1 == c2 || c1 == (c2 - 32) ? GMIO_TRUE : GMIO_FALSE;
+}
+
+/*! Returns 0 if \p str1 and \p str2 compare equal, non-zero otherwise
+ *
+ *  Comparison is case-insensitive
+ */
+GMIO_INLINE int gmio_stricmp(const char* str1, const char* str2)
+{
+    while (*str1 != 0 && *str2 != 0) {
+        if (gmio_clocale_char_iequals(*str1, *str2) == GMIO_FALSE)
+            return 1;
+        ++str1;
+        ++str2;
+    }
+    return *str1 == 0 && *str2 == 0 ? 0 : 1;
+}
+
+/*! Returns true if \p str starts with string \p begin
+ *
+ *  Comparison is case-insensitive
+ */
+GMIO_INLINE gmio_bool_t gmio_istarts_with(const char* str, const char* begin)
+{
+    while (*begin != 0) {
+        if (*str == 0
+                || gmio_clocale_char_iequals(*str, *begin) == GMIO_FALSE)
+        {
+            return GMIO_FALSE;
+        }
+        ++str;
+        ++begin;
+    }
+    return GMIO_TRUE;
+}
+
+#endif /* GMIO_INTERNAL_STRING_UTILS_H */
diff --git a/src/gmio_stl/stla_read.c b/src/gmio_stl/stla_read.c
index 0f889f4..3eeda2f 100644
--- a/src/gmio_stl/stla_read.c
+++ b/src/gmio_stl/stla_read.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "../gmio_core/internal/helper_stream.h"
 #include "../gmio_core/internal/helper_transfer.h"
 #include "../gmio_core/internal/string_parse.h"
+#include "../gmio_core/internal/string_utils.h"
 
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -207,40 +208,6 @@ GMIO_INLINE void parsing_error_token_expected(
     parsing_error_msg(data, msg);
 }
 
-GMIO_INLINE gmio_bool_t gmio_clocale_char_iequals(char c1, char c2)
-{
-    return c1 == c2 || c1 == (c2 - 32) ? GMIO_TRUE : GMIO_FALSE;
-}
-
-/*! Returns 0 if \p str1 and \p str2 compare equal, non-zero otherwise
- *
- *  It assumes that <tt>len(str1) >= len(str2)</tt>
- */
-GMIO_INLINE int gmio_stricmp(const char* str1, const char* str2)
-{
-    while (*str1 != 0 && *str2 != 0) {
-        if (gmio_clocale_char_iequals(*str1, *str2) == GMIO_FALSE)
-            return 1;
-        ++str1;
-        ++str2;
-    }
-    return *str1 == 0 && *str2 == 0 ? 0 : 1;
-}
-
-GMIO_INLINE gmio_bool_t gmio_istarts_with(const char* str, const char* begin)
-{
-    while (*begin != 0) {
-        if (*str == 0
-                || gmio_clocale_char_iequals(*str, *begin) == GMIO_FALSE)
-        {
-            return GMIO_FALSE;
-        }
-        ++str;
-        ++begin;
-    }
-    return GMIO_TRUE;
-}
-
 static gmio_stla_token_t parsing_find_token(
         const gmio_string_buffer_t* str_buffer)
 {