I was invited to STIHL GB’s headquarters in Camberley this week, for the first of what the manufacturer intends to be a series of events, designed to engage with college lecturers.

Entitled ‘Discovering STIHL’, representatives of land-based courses from educational establishments around the country were in attendance to learn what the manufacturer can offer their colleges and students. There were lecturers at Camberley for two days, from seats of learning including Sparsholt, Mysercough, Warwickshire, Newton Rigg, Shuttleworth, Writtle, and SRUC Oatridge - a real geographical spread. Importantly all the guys in attendance (and they were all men) had direct, student facing roles at their respective colleges.

STIHL's intention in introducing their company and products to this group, was to ultimately get their products in the hands of the young people coming through their courses. It was very much a brand awareness exercise. The company believes that if a young person picks up a chainsaw for the first time and it’s one of theirs, it’s quite likely that a bond will be formed with the brand. STIHL is hoping that students who graduate, having been exposed to their products during their learning period, once they are out in the workplace, or in their own lives, they will be entering dealerships with very specific knowledge and desires for certain products.

I suppose the effect that STIHL is hoping for is similar to the feeling of loyalty or fondness people can have towards the make of car that they learned to drive in.

The event was shaped around a day at STIHL HQ based in the training room plus tours around the facilities, followed by a day out at Merrist Wood college, with an opportunity to get hands on with a selection of the latest equipment.

STIHL product trainer, Tom Eadie, who was running the course alongside product training team manager, Ben Beaumont and technical trainer, Mark Helliwell, explained why the company felt now was a perfect time to be talking to these lecturers.

“We’re hearing that a lot of the technical information out there in some colleges, can be something like 20 years out of date,” he said. “We want to make sure that these guys are fully informed about the latest machinery and techniques which are available to them and their students.”

As this was the first event of this type, STIHL were always very keen to receive feedback from the lecturers that the days were delivering the information most useful to them. As such, one of the first tasks of day one was for the lecturers to write down a subject they specifically wanted to hear about. Interestingly, most either mentioned diagnostics or future products, with several listing battery technology as an area of interest.

Before new products and technologies were explored in detail though, to give the lecturers in attendance a flavour of how STIHL GB works, tours were given around the offices and the huge warehouse in Camberley. A sense of scale of the operation was conveyed, witnessing the vast array of products being readied to be distributed to dealers around the UK.

The significant portion of Day 1 though, was taking the lecturers through some real deep dives on latest products and technologies. As requested, a significant period was taken up with demonstrations of the latest computerised diagnostic systems which the company can offer. Mark Helewell went into great detail about the working of company’s M-Tronic system verses conventional technology. There was high engagement with questions on best practice and maintenance techniques. Mark explained the online diagnostic tools which the company offers that the colleges can have access to.

Tom Eadie and Ben Beaumont then introduced several new products, some of which are not available in dealerships quite yet. More than just a series of sales pitches, these introductions were detailed technical workshops really. Breaking the machines down into their component parts, the lecturers were able to ask in-depth questions of the product specialists, to really get a sense of what new developments could be available to their students.

Machines considered included the BR 800 backpack blower; MS 462 and MS 500i chainsaws; the MSA 220 C and MSA 161T cordless saws and the new AR 200L & 300L backpack batteries. Alongside these, considerable interest was generated in the explanation of the new STIHL Connect digital tracking system.

What these sessions also engendered was a dialogue, both between the colleges and STIHL, but also between the representatives of the different educational establishments themselves. These were knowledgeable guys, who knew their machinery, swapping ideas and getting into serious conversations about where the industry is heading and what part manufacturers, and significantly, dealers will play in that.

After all the theory, Day 2 saw everyone bussed out to Merrist Wood to test the machines discussed in the classroom, in a practical setting. Mowers, chainsaws, blowers, all were thoroughly put through their paces, by experts in positions to act as significant influencers of up-coming users.

All in all, Discovering STIHL was a well organised, timely and detailed event. I certainly got the impression that the lecturers in attendance were engaged and given plenty of valuable information which they will be able to pass on to their students

Eventually this bank of knowledge should find its way back through the doors of your dealerships, in the guise of the next generation of informed customers.

The college lecturers group with the STIHL trainers at Merrist Wood on Wednesday this week