Andreas Stihl sets up a engineering office in Stuttgart, at 43 Rotebühlstrasse. He starts out as a dealer of tree felling machines made by Berlin-based E. Ring & Co. One year later he produces the first STIHL chainsaw. Weighing 48 kg, it is a two-person saw for cutting felled trees into logs at sawmills. It is not yet suitable for felling, as it can only be used for vertical cuts.

The Type A tree felling machine is Andreas Stihl’s first saw powered by a gasoline engine. The two-man saw with an output of 6 hp and weight of 46 kg can be used to fell whole trees.

STIHL launches the first portable gasoline chainsaw and starts exporting to Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Andreas Stihl starts his first business relationship with a foreign import company, Defries in Milan. In 1937, Andreas Stihl takes an extensive sales trip through the USA and Canada. With 27 models, the STIHL brand is synonymous with modern chainsaws worldwide.

The STIHL factory in Cannstatt is severely damaged by a bombing raid on Stuttgart. The entire production is relocated to Neustadt (now Waiblingen). The Allies temporarily detain Andreas Stihl in a work camp in Bavaria.

Back in 1938, Andreas Stihl has already bought the production facilities of an old paper mill in Neustadt (now Waiblingen). Andreas Stihl is able to resume running his factory and starts expanding the branch in Neustadt (Waiblingen) which will eventually grow into the headquarters of today.

The first truly lightweight saw weighs 11 kg and bears the designation BLK: Benzin - Leicht - Klein (Gasoline – Light – Small).

With a weight of 12 kg and output of 6 hp, the Contra is the first gearless chainsaw from STIHL. Numerous innovations such as improved chain lubrication and new silencers usher in a new era of forestry work. Read our story to find out why this saw was also offered in a golden version.

Innovation: STIHL is the first manufacturer to equip a chainsaw with an anti-vibration handle. This absorbs vibrations from the engine and saw chain before they are transmitted to people. The anti-vibration system prevents the Raynaud syndrome that forest workers fear.

STIHL sets up its own magnesium die casting production site in Prüm-Weinsheim in the Eifel region.

Company founder Andreas Stihl dies at the age of 76. Hans Peter Stihl and his sister Eva take on leadership of the company. The other limited partners are Gerhild Schetter (née Stihl) and Dr. Rüdiger Stihl. In the same year, STIHL founds a production and sales company in Brazil – the first overseas production facility. The plant in Sao Leopoldo is officially initiated two years later. One year later, a new production facility begins operations in Wil, Switzerland, in the canton of St. Gallen. All STIHL saw chains used worldwide will be produced here from this point on.

The early 1970s sees the introduction of a new product line and reaches out to a new target audience: “STIHL Hobby.” This was illustrated with a cute gnome which was tentatively aimed at leisure gardeners in 1973, before disappearing back into obscurity. Who can tell us anything about him today? Say hello again to the hobby gnome.

STIHL takes over sales throughout France from its long-standing general distributor. This is followed by the establishment of its own sales subsidiaries in Canada and New Zealand. STIHL also establishes its own offices in Spain and Belgium, with the latter also handling management of the Dutch market. Further sales subsidiaries are established in Sweden and Norway.

Innovation: In the STIHL 044 C, STIHL develops the world’s first catalytic convertor for two-stroke engines. It reduces harmful hydrocarbons in exhaust gas by 70–80 percent.

VIKING GmbH, an Austrian garden power tool manufacturer, becomes a 100% STIHL subsidiary and since 2018 has been fully integrated into the Group as STIHL Tirol.

STIHL launches the 023 L, the world’s quietest gasoline chainsaw. It is awarded the Blue Angel eco-label along with the E 14 C electric saw.

STIHL founds a company in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and is now represented with its own offices on all continents.

The first STIHL 046 RHD rescue saw is designed to meet the specific requirements of emergency services such as fire departments, technical relief agencies, and disaster response teams.

The family shareholders step back from the operational business and, for the first time, appoint a non-family member to the Board of Management. Hans Peter Stihl becomes Chairman of the Advisory Board of STIHL HOLDING AG & Co. KG as well as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of STIHL AG.

STIHL acquires carburetor manufacturer ZAMA which has companies in Japan and Hong Kong. ZAMA is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carburetors for handheld power tools. STIHL thereby secures supply for its own products and opens up a new business area.

The STIHL battery products, HSA 65 and HSA 85 hedge trimmers, combine the maneuverability of a gasoline tool with the quiet operation of an electric tool.

A new era: The world’s first chainsaw with electronically controlled injection and a power-to-weight ratio of 1.24 kg/kW. With STIHL injection technology, the chain can accelerate from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in 0.25 seconds.

The company museum opens at the head office in Waiblingen, offering visitors an exploration of the history and future of the family company and the STIHL brand.

STIHL celebrates its 100th anniversary