In 1926, Andreas Stihl founded an engineering office in Stuttgart and develops his own chainsaw. Little did he know that this would be the springboard for the huge company bearing his name that would take the world by storm only a few decades later. A year later, Andreas hired his two first employees who would stay loyal to the firm for years. In 1928 STIHL finally became a recognized brand cemented in the name of its founder, whose main aim was to ease the heavy workload of forestry workers.
Just four short years after establishment, STIHL began exporting to Switzerland, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. This marked the first steps of the company becoming an internationally recognized household name - a force to be reckoned with.
The 1940s marked a tumultuous time for STIHL. It began with setting up a training workshop - a positive step towards the company's expansion. Unfortunately, the Second World War meant that day-to-day running of the company would suffer. Despite conscription, frequent air raids, and general chaos, production continued to soar and the company was commissioned to design a chainsaw for the German Armed Airforces. During the bombing of Stuttgart in 1944, the main factory was destroyed, necessitating a new start in Neustadt in 1948.
In 1955 the new German Federal Armed Forces equipped their pioneers with STIHL's BLK petrol-powered chainsaw, marking a new era for the company. In 1959, the second Stihl generation took the helm leading to the launch of the company's first ever customer magazine.
During the 1960s STIHL continued to grow across Europe, and in the 1970s factories sprung up in Australia, Brazil, and America. For a small family-owned business to grow to such an extent in such a short period of time is absolutely amazing!
In 1981, Hans Peter Stihl became President of the Rems-Murr Chamber of Industry and Commerce in the Stuttgart region. A testament to the remarkable business knowledge, hard work, and determination displayed by the Stihl family name.
During the 1990s the third generation of the Stihl family took over the running of the company, watching it grow from strength to strength all over the globe. STIHL is now celebrating 90 years of quality and excellence - a remarkable feat for any brand. The company is currently inviting all of its fans and loyal customers to join in on the celebrations. Upload an image of yourself and your favourite STIHL products to become a part of the company's successful history.
To find out more and view other fan pictures, visit the official website here.