STIHL has invested €17 million in the expansion of its Chinese manufacturing facility in Qingdao. The factory's floor area has been increased from 22,500 to 39,000 square meters and production capacity almost doubled. Some 200 new jobs will be created by the new extension. "Our factory here in China is an important member of STIHL's international manufacturing network. With this extension we want to broaden our product line and considerably strengthen our presence in Asia," said STIHL executive board chairman Dr. Bertram Kandziora at the inauguration ceremony in Qingdao. STIHL produces chainsaws, brushcutters and hedge trimmers in China for the Asian and international markets. The 5 millionth product produced by STIHL in Qingdao will come off the assembly line only one day after the inauguration ceremony. Dr. Kandziora stressed: "The quality of our products in China is first class and at the same high level as the quality at all other STIHL plants."
Today, 711 men and women work at the Qingdao plant. A total of nearly 3,000 people are employed at all of STIHL's Chinese plants.
The three sections of the new building, comprising production, supply/disposal center and the enlarged canteen, have been designed on ecological lines. All indoor areas are heated and air conditioned with geothermally heated or cooled water. Heat recovery from spent air is integrated in the central building management system. Even the heating of process water is a constituent part of the system. The extension to the plant was was opened at an official ceremony yesterday.