STIHL turns 100: a century of innovation, quality, and passion for working in nature.

In 2026, STIHL celebrates its first 100 years of history. An important milestone for a brand that, starting from a small business founded in 1926, has become one of the most recognised names worldwide in the forestry, gardening and green space maintenance machinery industry.

It all began in 1926

The history of STIHL began in 1926, when *Andreas Stihl* established his business in a workshop in Stuttgart. At that time, forestry work still depended largely on physical strength and the use of axes. The founder's goal was clear: to create machines capable of making forestry work easier and more efficient.

What initially started as a one-man business has developed over the decades into an international group operating in more than 160 countries, with over 20,000 employees. Despite this growth, STIHL has remained a family-owned company and continues to associate its name with manufacturing quality* and *technological development.

From the first chainsaws to modern machinery

A few examples clearly illustrate how much STIHL technology has evolved over the course of a century.

In 1929, the petrol-powered Type A tree-felling saw was introduced: a machine weighing approximately 46 kg and producing 4.4 kW of power, which required two operators due to its considerable weight.

Ninety years later, in 2019, STIHL introduced the MS 500i, a professional chainsaw featuring electronically controlled fuel injection. In 2022, the MSA 300 followed, demonstrating the progress achieved in the professional battery-powered chainsaw sector.

This comparison perfectly illustrates a century of research: machines that have progressively become lighter, more powerful, more comfortable and more technologically advanced.

A brand that has become an industry benchmark

Over time, STIHL has significantly expanded its product range. Chainsaws have been joined by brushcutters, blowers, hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, battery-powered machines and numerous other solutions designed for both professionals and private users.

However, the chainsaw remains one of the brand's strongest symbols: according to the company, STIHL has been the world's best-selling chainsaw brand since 1971.

Behind this success lies a philosophy based on continuous product development. Today, STIHL reports approximately 2,800 patents and patent applications, demonstrating the research and development activities that have characterised its history.

100 years with an eye on the future

The centenary is not simply an opportunity to look back at the past. In 2026, STIHL is pursuing a strategy that combines traditional petrol-powered machinery with the increasing development of battery-powered technologies.

According to figures released by the company to mark its anniversary, approximately one in four STIHL products sold worldwide is already battery-powered. The group has also inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Oradea, Romania, dedicated to producing battery-powered machines for the European market. At the same time, STIHL continues to invest in the development of combustion engines and solutions designed to reduce their environmental impact.

The combination of tradition and innovation is therefore one of the central themes of the brand's first hundred years.

MS 500i Centennial Edition: the chainsaw celebrating 100 years

To celebrate such an important anniversary, STIHL has chosen one of its most iconic professional chainsaws: the MS 500i.

In 2026, the company introduced the STIHL MS 500i Centennial Edition, a special version featuring a distinctive black finish and graphic elements dedicated to the centenary. It pays tribute to the MS 500i, recognised by STIHL as the world's first mass-produced petrol chainsaw with electronically controlled fuel injection.

A symbolic choice: celebrating one hundred years of history through a machine that perfectly represents the company's ability to innovate a technology that might already appear fully developed.

1926–2026: one hundred years of STIHL

From a workshop in Stuttgart to a globally recognised brand. From heavy chainsaws requiring two operators to modern professional petrol-powered and battery-powered machines.

Over the past hundred years, STIHL has accompanied generations of users through major technological changes, while keeping a goal established at the company's foundation at the heart of its philosophy: making work easier for those who operate every day in forests, parks and gardens.

The STIHL centenary therefore celebrates much more than a date. It celebrates a century of innovation, reliability and passion for working outdoors, while above all paving the way for the next hundred years of technological development.