Andreas Stihl AG & Company is a manufacturer of chainsaws and other handheld power equipment including trimmers and blowers. Their headquarters are in Waiblingen, Baden-Württemberg near Stuttgart, in Germany. The company was founded in 1926 by Andreas Stihl, an important innovator in early chain saw production. The company is the world's best selling brand of chain saws and is the only chain saw manufacturer to make its own saw chains and guide bars. Andreas Stihl AG is a privately held company owned by the descendants of Andreas Stihl.

STIHL is the trusted name for professionals and homeowners who demand power, dependability and longevity from their outdoor power equipment. For over 80 years, STIHL has led the industry through invention and innovation, developing technology that delivers performance, comfort and higher fuel efficiency. From the legendary chain saw to the lines of trimmers, blowers and more, each and every piece of equipment is built with unwavering standards that have made STIHL the premium name in outdoor power equipment.

STIHL products are only sold through servicing power equipment retailers – not mass merchants. This means the products are sold by knowledgeable Dealers – ready to provide sound advice on product selection, proper equipment use and recommended protective apparel. A complete after sales service with spare parts is available.

Stihl has a network of 40,000 Approved Dealers in over 160 countries. The Group has 32 sales and marketing subsidiaries of its own as well as more than 120 importers. Manufacturing takes place at 9 locations in 6 countries: Germany, the United States, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria and China. The parent company, ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG, manufactures at 7 plants at 4 locations around Germany. The German sales company is based in Dieburg. International sales of STIHL products is carried out exclusively by specialist dealers who also provide service. The STIHL sales organisation encompasses in-house distribution companies, branches and representative offices in 34 countries, covering more than 80 percent of sales. Altogether, STIHL has more than 32 distribution companies (including 2 branches), and works with over 35,000 dealers and 120 importers worldwide – selling STIHL products in more than 160 countries.

Marking STIHL’s 15 years of direct investment in South Africa, Dr Nikolas Stihl, designated Chairman of the Advisory Board of STIHL Holdings, said at a function on 12 November 2012 in Johannesburg that STIHL S.A.’s successes have been nothing short of remarkable. “With only rare exceptions due to external influences, there has also been a continuous growth in the sales of product units and, with the global recession still not completely behind us, STIHL S.A. unit sales will reach a new record high this year.”Dr Stihl said that the strong position in which STIHL S.A. finds itself today is mainly a result of the efforts of David Hutton the first local GM. “He and his team have shown what can be achieved through sound business practices, dedication and commitment to not only the company but to the entire outdoor power equipment industry.”

Dave Hutton, who recently retired, was succeeded by his son Hayden who was also complimented by Dr Stihl. “You have done a great job and the company has moved seamlessly along since you took over,” he said. Hayden Hutton said that the Stihl family had been an inspiration to the South African team and that their investment in South Africa in 1996 heralded a new era for the servicing dealer in South Africa and, in fact, many other parts of Africa as well. “STIHL’s investment provided certainty for the future of servicing dealers, with a company committed to upholding the servicing dealer as its marketing channel of choice.”

“Furthermore, STIHL brought about a radical change in the way outdoor power product companies did business with the servicing dealers. By investing in a modern logistics system that ensured high product availability and shipping reliability, financial pressure on dealers was eased making it possible for them to manage their stockholding more effectively, thus enhancing their ability to profitably deliver services to their customers.

“STIHL also helped transform the image of dealers in the marketplace with the introduction of a modern retail display system, which became known as the STIHL Concept System. This changed the face of lawnmower dealers into retail operations that could challenge the ever-growing threat posed by mass merchants and others,” Hutton said.

Hutton added that STIHL could not have done any of this alone. “STIHL dealers are loyal business partners who have worked with us to make our vision a reality. The relationships we have built with them are based on integrity and commitment to each other and have been fundamental to the success of the company in the last 15 years”, he concluded.

STIHL today has a global workforce of more than 11 000, manufacturing plants in several countries and 32 company-owned sales and distribution subsidiaries, including STIHL South Africa. Some 40 000 authorized servicing dealers across the globe offer customers professional advice and comprehensive service.

Chainsaws account for half of STIHL’s unit sales worldwide. The other half comprises outdoor power tools such as line trimmers, brushcutters, pole pruners, hedge trimmers, blowers, sprayers, cut-off machines, earth augers, pressure washers, wet and dry vacuum cleaners and sweepers.