Stihl Inc. building dedication reinforces commitment to manufacturing in America

Stihl Inc., headquarters for U.S. operations of the worldwide Stihl Group, celebrated a new administration building and campus improvements during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 10. The more than $30 million project is part of the company’s continual investment in infrastructure in support of growing U.S. operations. The new 80,000-square-foot building brings the Sales & Marketing, Finance & Controlling, Legal, and Customer & Technical Service teams under one roof.

“This new building will improve administrative and operational efficiency allowing us to better serve our network of more than 9,000 authorized Stihl dealers and their customers,” said Bjoern Fischer, president of Stihl Inc. “As we mark 45 years of growth and expansion in Virginia Beach, we look ahead to a continued positive economic environment for successful modern manufacturing in the City of Virginia Beach.”

During the ribbon-cutting, members of the Stihl family and Stihl executive board from Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG, as well as local dignitaries including the mayor of Virginia Beach, members of City Council, and representatives from Hampton Roads learned more about the new facility and campus improvements including:

• A state-of-the-art training center for authorized Stihl dealers featuring an auditorium, training lab and outdoor demonstration area for hands-on product testing and training.
• A chain saw “Helix” art installation, crafted out of more than 30 Stihl chain saws dating back to 1936, representing how chain saw innovation is part of the Stihl DNA.
• Brand experience: Stihl concept store showcasing an ideal Stihl retail space.
• An enhanced entryway at the main gate for improved traffic flow and security.

Since its inception in 1974, the Stihl Inc. campus has grown from a single 20,000-square-foot rented warehouse to well over 1 million square feet of manufacturing and administrative space on more than 150 acres. This growth has been strongly supported by Stihl’s positive, long-standing partnership with the City of Virginia Beach.

“Stihl Inc. plays a vital role in the Stihl Group,” said Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Stihl Group advisory and supervisory board chairman. “As we look to future growth in the areas of information technology, robotics, engineering, software development, battery development and product development, this investment and growth in the U.S. will support those efforts.”