Announced at its annual Spring Press Conference, the STIHL Group has reported a record global turnover of EUR 2,814 million (£2.38 billion*) in 2013.

STIHL also expanded its workforce by over 12 percent to top 13,800 in December 2013.

In Great Britain the Group's wholly-owned sales and marketing subsidiary hit a record in 2013 with turnover topping £78 million for the first time (11.5 percent year-on-year growth), reflecting particularly strong sales growth from home users of its STIHL and VIKING branded garden tools.

STIHL GB employs over 90 people at its Camberley Head Office and nationwide, and its products are available from over 650 Approved Dealers across Britain.

Strong growth in unit sales

Turnover in Great Britain topped £78 million for the first time in 2013, representing an 11.5 percent increase on 2012 sales.

"Our growth in Great Britain is very satisfying, and as we froze prices between 2012 and 2013 that growth has come from increased unit sales", comments Robin Lennie, Managing Director of Andreas Stihl Limited, the wholly-owned sales and marketing subsidiary of STIHL in Great Britain.

"Our expert Dealer network is delivering a powerful retail offer: the high quality and broad-ranging STIHL product mix coupled with expert personal service and after-sales support. Our professional user heartland is core to our business, but the biggest growth opportunity is in the home-user market. As such our specialist Dealers, many of whom are traditional family-run businesses with a wealth of experience, are investing in partnership with us to improve their retail environments. Those investments are now reaping positive rewards in terms of both their own business and our brands' growth and are placing them in a strong position for the future", he concludes.

Substantial investments worldwide - including Great Britain

Global investments in the STIHL Group last year amounted to over EUR 202.5 million (£171 million*) and included substantial building activities to expand capacity worldwide and improve efficiencies for growth.

Investments included a major £1.5 million project to refurbish the British subsidiary's Head Office premises, with the high tech Camberley offices officially inaugurated by Hans Peter Stihl - General Partner of STIHL Holdings and son of the Group founder. The office refurbishment followed another project completed in 2011 to expand capacity and improve logistics at the adjoining warehouse; the two projects represent a total £3 million investment in STIHL's business in Britain.

At the Group's base in Germany, significant funds were ploughed into research and development to expand the product line.

New product introductions attract strong demand

New product introductions in 2013 ranged from additions to the advanced cordless range for both home and professional users (range expansion continuing in 2014), to more of the powerful petrol chainsaws.

Demand for the cordless Lithium-Ion battery tool range is demonstrating particularly strong growth.

N.B.  * Sterling/Euro exchange rate = 0.849 (2013 average)