The Prime Minister of the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, congratulated STIHL on the company’s 90th birthday at a gala evening in Stuttgart last week.


Prime Minister Kretschmann speaking at STIHL 90th birthday event

Kretschmann said, “In 1926, Andreas Stihl opened an engineering organisation under his own name in Stuttgart, where he designed and produced the first transportable, petrol chainsaw. That was the start of a great success story. So for me, one thing is clear: The grandfathers of all garage and start-up companies come from the Stuttgart region - and not from Silicon Valley!”

Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the STIHL Advisory Board and the Supervisory Board, welcomed 300 guests from more than 80 countries to the festive occasion, in Stuttgart’s Theaterhaus.


Winfried Kretschmann and Dr Nikolas Stihl

Dr. Stihl explained that STIHL will continue to stand for quality and customer service. “The company has strong roots in Germany, but today has an international network of production and sales facilities. Today, we produce at ten sites in seven countries and sell our products through 45,000 Approved Dealerships in more than 160 countries.”

Company founder, Andreas Stihl, exported the chainsaws that he developed himself to North America, Russia and other European countries as early as the nineteen-thirties. Today, the company generates 90 percent of its worldwide revenue of 3.25 billion euros abroad.