Stihl
German family-owned manufacturer of chainsaws, forestry equipment, and outdoor power tools.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Stihl is a German family-owned manufacturer of chainsaws, forestry equipment, landscaping machinery, and related power tools. Founded in 1926 by engineer and inventor Andreas Stihl, the company developed from an early specialist in powered saws into a broad international outdoor-power-equipment group. Its headquarters are in Waiblingen, Baden-Württemberg, near Stuttgart. Andreas Stihl built the company's first chainsaw in 1926. The electrically powered machine was heavy by modern standards, weighing approximately 48 kilograms, but it represented an important step toward mechanising forestry work. In 1930, Stihl introduced a chainsaw designed for operation by one person. The company also began exporting to the United States and the Soviet Union in 1931, making it an early European participant in the international chainsaw market. Growth was initially constrained by the Great Depression and by the continued availability of inexpensive manual labour and established two-person saws. During the Second World War, the business operated as A. Stihl Maschinenfabrik. Its Bad Cannstatt facilities were heavily damaged by bombing in 1943 and 1944, after which production moved to Neustadt, now part of Waiblingen. Historical accounts also record that the company used forced labour during the war. Andreas Stihl, who had been a member of the Nazi Party and the Allgemeine SS, was arrested by Allied authorities in 1945. After three years of detention, he was classified as a Mitläufer, or follower, and released; the company was subsequently returned to him. Stihl became the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer in 1971, according to the referenced company history. During the 1970s it expanded manufacturing into Brazil and the United States and broadened its range beyond chainsaws. The company entered markets for brushcutters, line trimmers, blowers, edgers, and other equipment serving forestry, construction, landscaping, grounds maintenance, and household users. In its earlier small-engine expansion, Stihl used manufacturing arrangements with Japanese companies including Komatsu and Ryobi before developing more products internally. The group expanded through acquisitions and international production. It acquired Austrian garden-equipment maker Viking in 1992, adding a complementary brand and product capability. In 2008, Stihl opened a production facility in Qingdao, China, and acquired carburettor manufacturer Zama in December of that year. The Zama transaction strengthened supply security and gave Stihl a position in another small-engine component segment. Stihl sells through international subsidiaries and dealer networks rather than relying solely on direct retail distribution. Referenced subsidiaries include STIHL Australia, established in 1971; STIHL US, whose Virginia Beach, Virginia, complex includes manufacturing, warehousing, and administration; and Andreas Stihl Ltd in the United Kingdom, founded in 1978. Its products serve professional users as well as consumers, with the brand generally positioned around durability, engineering, dealer support, and premium performance. In addition to equipment, Stihl operates the STIHL Timbersports Series and has used sports and event sponsorships to associate the brand with forestry skills and high-performance cutting. The company remains privately held and active, with chainsaws continuing to be its defining flagship product line.
History
Andreas Stihl founded the company in Germany in 1926 after designing and hand-building an electrically powered chainsaw. The machine weighed approximately 48 kilograms and was intended to reduce the physical demands of forestry work. Stihl's early development coincided with the Great Depression, when low labour costs and the established use of two-person manual saws limited immediate demand for powered equipment. The company reached an important technical milestone in 1930 with a chainsaw that could be operated by one person. In 1931 it became the first European company identified in the reference history as exporting chainsaws to both the United States and the Soviet Union. These developments established the basis for Stihl's later international business. During the Second World War, the company operated in Bad Cannstatt under the name A. Stihl Maschinenfabrik. Bombing severely damaged its factory in 1943 and 1944, prompting a move to Neustadt, now within Waiblingen. The wartime history is also associated with the use of forced labour. Andreas Stihl was a Nazi Party and Allgemeine SS member. Allied forces arrested him in 1945, and the company was seized. After three years in detention, he was classified as a Mitläufer and released, after which the business was returned. Stihl's postwar growth accelerated as mechanised forestry expanded. The company is identified in the source history as having become the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer in 1971. In the 1970s it established manufacturing operations in Brazil and the United States and diversified into equipment for construction, landscaping, and household maintenance. The product range grew to include brushcutters, line trimmers, blowers, edgers, and other small-engine equipment. During part of this period Stihl contracted Japanese companies such as Komatsu and Ryobi to produce selected products while it developed its own designs and production capabilities. International expansion continued through subsidiaries, manufacturing investments, and acquisitions. STIHL Australia was established in 1971 as the group's first subsidiary outside Europe. Andreas Stihl Ltd was founded in the United Kingdom in 1978. In the United States, Stihl developed a substantial Virginia Beach, Virginia, complex containing manufacturing, warehouse, and administrative facilities. The company acquired Austrian garden-equipment producer Viking in 1992. It later opened a production facility in Qingdao, China, in 2008 and acquired carburettor producer Zama in December of the same year. The Zama acquisition was intended to protect an important component supply and provide entry into a related growth segment. The modern Stihl brand spans professional and consumer equipment used in forestry, arboriculture, landscaping, construction, grounds care, and garden maintenance. Chainsaws remain its most recognisable product, while trimmers, brushcutters, hedge trimmers, blowers, and related equipment extend the brand across outdoor power applications. Stihl has also developed brand visibility through the STIHL Timbersports Series and sponsorships in air racing and football. The group remains privately held, internationally active, and headquartered in Waiblingen.
- 2008
Qingdao production facility opened
[1]Stihl opened a production facility in Qingdao, China.
- 2008
Zama acquired
[1]Stihl acquired carburettor producer Zama to support component supply and expand into a related business segment.
- 1992
Acquisition of Viking
[1]Stihl acquired Austrian outdoor and garden-equipment company Viking.
- 1978
United Kingdom subsidiary founded
[1]Andreas Stihl Ltd was founded in the United Kingdom.
- 1974
United States manufacturing expansion
[1]Construction of Stihl's Virginia Beach, Virginia, facilities began in the 1970s, with the site serving manufacturing, warehousing, and administration.
- 1971
Largest chainsaw manufacturer
[1]The company history identifies Stihl as becoming the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer.
- 1971
STIHL Australia established
[1]Stihl established its first subsidiary outside Europe in Australia.
- 1943
Factory damaged during wartime bombing
[1]The Bad Cannstatt factory suffered severe damage during bombing in the 1943–1944 period, contributing to the later move to Neustadt.
- 1931
Early international exports
[1]Stihl became the first European company identified in the source to export chainsaws to the United States and the Soviet Union.
- 1930
First one-person chainsaw
[1]Stihl created a chainsaw that could be operated by a single person.
Products and positioning
Premium outdoor power equipment for professional forestry, landscaping, construction, grounds maintenance, and consumer users.
Forestry and outdoor power equipment · 1926
Chainsaws
Chainsaws are Stihl's defining product category and the foundation of its international reputation. The company began with powered saws in 1926 and later developed one-person models. Its chainsaw business serves forestry, arboriculture, construction, landscaping, firewood processing, and household users. Professional models are associated with demanding cutting and forestry applications, while consumer-oriented models extend the category to garden and property maintenance.
Landscaping equipment
Brushcutters and line trimmers
Brushcutters and line trimmers broaden Stihl's offering from wood cutting to grass, weeds, undergrowth, and vegetation management. The range has included professional and consumer equipment, with earlier products produced through external manufacturing arrangements before Stihl increasingly developed its own designs. These machines are used by landscapers, grounds-maintenance crews, forestry workers, and homeowners.
Landscaping equipment
Blowers
Stihl blowers are designed for clearing leaves, grass clippings, debris, and other material from gardens, public spaces, construction areas, and managed landscapes. The company entered the small-engine equipment market with products such as the BG60 and later expanded its blower range for both professional and household applications.
Garden equipment
Hedge trimmers
Hedge trimmers form part of Stihl's garden and grounds-care portfolio. They are intended for shaping and maintaining hedges and shrubs in domestic, commercial, and municipal settings, complementing the brand's chainsaws, trimmers, and blowers.
Branded sporting series
STIHL Timbersports Series
The STIHL Timbersports Series is an international competitive timber-sports platform operated by Stihl. It connects the brand with forestry skills, cutting performance, physical precision, and professional wood-processing culture, functioning as both a sporting property and a brand-visibility platform.
Small-engine components · 2008
Zama carburettors
Zama became part of Stihl through the 2008 acquisition of the carburettor manufacturer. The transaction added a component-business dimension to the group and was described as a way to safeguard supply while entering a related growth segment.
Controversies
2020
STIHL recalls RE 90 pressure washers over nozzle hazard
STIHL recalled pressure washers after reports that RE 90 nozzles could detach from the spray wand under pressure, posing an injury hazard. The company had received seven detachment reports and no injuries had been reported; consumers were directed to contact STIHL or an authorized dealer for a free replacement spray wand.
1945
Wartime forced labour and founder's Nazi affiliations
The referenced company history states that Stihl employed forced labour during the Second World War. It also records that founder Andreas Stihl was a member of the Nazi Party and the Allgemeine SS, was arrested by Allied forces in 1945, and was later classified as a Mitläufer before the company was returned to him.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019NorthEast United football sponsorship
India
Stihl began sponsoring NorthEast United, an Indian football club, extending its brand activity into football sponsorship.
Outcome. The reference material lists the sponsorship as continuing from 2019 onward.
- 2016National Championship Air Races title sponsorship
United States
Stihl became title sponsor of the National Championship Air Races, linking the brand with aviation competition and high-performance engineering.
Outcome. The reference material lists the sponsorship as continuing from 2016 onward.
- STIHL Timbersports Series
International
Stihl operates the STIHL Timbersports Series, a branded competitive platform centred on timber-processing and forestry skills.
Brand decisions
2008
Opening of Qingdao production facilityStrategyBackground
Stihl was expanding its global manufacturing network.
Action taken
The company opened a production facility in Qingdao, China.
Aftermath
The facility increased Stihl's manufacturing presence in China and Asia.
2008
Acquisition of ZamaM&ABackground
Carburettors were an important component in small-engine equipment, and Stihl sought greater supply security and entry into an adjacent business.
Action taken
Stihl acquired carburettor producer Zama.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened Stihl's position in small-engine components and reduced reliance on external supply for a key part.
1992
Acquisition of VikingM&ABackground
Stihl sought to expand its garden-equipment capabilities and product coverage.
Action taken
The company acquired Austrian manufacturer Viking.
Aftermath
The acquisition added an established garden-equipment business to Stihl's portfolio.
1970
Diversification beyond chainsawsStrategyBackground
Stihl's core business was chainsaws, but demand also developed in construction, landscaping, and household outdoor maintenance.
Action taken
The company expanded into brushcutters, line trimmers, blowers, edgers, and other small-engine outdoor equipment, using external manufacturing partners for some early products while developing its own designs.
Aftermath
The move broadened Stihl from a chainsaw specialist into a wider outdoor power-equipment manufacturer.
Recent events
- 2022
Michael Traub becomes chairman of the STIHL Executive Board[4]
Leadership change
Michael Traub took over as chairman of the Executive Board, succeeding Bertram Kandziora in the leadership of the family-owned group.
- 2019
Stihl sponsors NorthEast United[1]
Campaign
Stihl began a sponsorship of Indian football club NorthEast United, listed in the reference material as continuing from 2019.
- 2016
Stihl becomes title sponsor of the National Championship Air Races[1]
Campaign
Stihl began a title-sponsorship relationship with the National Championship Air Races, listed as continuing from 2016 in the reference material.
- 2008
Stihl opens production facility in Qingdao[1]
Other
Stihl opened a production facility in Qingdao, China, expanding its international manufacturing footprint.
- 2008
Stihl acquires carburettor maker Zama[1]
M&A
Stihl acquired Zama to strengthen control over carburettor supply and enter a related small-engine component segment.
- 1992
Stihl acquires Viking[1]
M&A
Stihl acquired Austrian garden-equipment manufacturer Viking, broadening its presence in outdoor and garden machinery.
- 1971
Stihl becomes the largest chainsaw manufacturer[1]
Other
The company history identifies 1971 as the year Stihl became the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer.
STIHL expands its battery-powered product portfolio[5]
Product launch
The company has continued to introduce battery-powered tools and shared battery platforms for professional and residential users, broadening its portfolio beyond petrol-powered equipment.
STIHL presents new-generation chainsaw and outdoor-equipment technologies[6]
Product generation · Product launch
STIHL regularly updates professional chainsaws, battery equipment, engine technology and connected garden products as part of its product-generation strategy.
Sources8 sources
- 1Stihlen.wikipedia.org
- 2Official Stihl websitestihl.com
- 3STIHL recalls RE 90 pressure washers over nozzle hazardyahoo.com
- 4Michael Traub becomes chairman of the STIHL Executive Boardstihl.com
- 5STIHL expands its battery-powered product portfoliostihl.com
- 6STIHL presents new-generation chainsaw and outdoor-equipment technologiesstihl.com
- 7STIHL India Celebrates Legacy, Partnership and the Road Ahead at Annual Dealer Conferencecalcuttanews.net
- 8STIHL recalls pressure washers due to injury hazardwtkr.com
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