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STIHL Named America's Top-Selling Handheld OPE Brand
Source: STIHL news release
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - STIHL, already recognized as the number one selling brand of chain saws and cut-off machines worldwide, reached another milestone as the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America. Officials at STIHL Inc. announced today that syndicated commercial and independent consumer research of 2009 U.S. sales and market share data shows that the brand has extended its market leading position to handheld outdoor power equipment for consumers and professional landscapers.
"The STIHL story is filled with many firsts which have earned the company numerous marketplace recognitions over the years," said Fred Whyte, president of STIHL Inc. "This latest achievement is especially gratifying and affirms our dedication to manufacturing excellence and our unique distribution strategy."
STIHL Inc., founded by ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG in 1974, is based in Virginia Beach Va., and manufactures over 180 different model variations of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment products for sale in the U.S. and around the world.
Becoming the number one selling brand is especially significant given that almost every one of STIHL's competitors in the consumer and professional handheld outdoor power equipment market utilize mass merchants to sell their product.
STIHL's distribution network in the U.S. includes 12 distributors and more than 8,000 independent servicing dealers and its decision to forgo the mass merchant retail channels and distribute product only through servicing dealers was featured in the recently released book "The Distribution Trap: Keeping Your Innovations from Becoming Commodities" by Dr. Andrew Thomas and Dr. Timothy Wilkinson.
"Number one selling brand" is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research (commercial landscapers) as well as independent consumer research of 2009 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.
