The India-based STIHL sales subsidiary ANDREAS STIHL Pvt. Ltd has celebrated the opening of its new facility in Pune. As one of the fastest growing sales subsidiaries in the STIHL Group, the expan-sion marks a necessary step for STIHL India. Norbert Pick, Executive Board Member for Marketing and Sales at STIHL, attended the grand opening at Chakan Industrial Park. "We are extremely proud to have acquired the land in Pune to build an office, warehouse and operations building tailored to our needs," he said. "This investment reaffirms the commitment of STIHL to India, one of our key markets." Parind Prabhudesai, Managing Director of STIHL India, added: "We are pleased to be part of this journey, as it underscores our commitment to growth in the Indian market. Along with our colleagues and partners, we are ready to push ahead with the revolution in farming equipment."
7,100 m2 floor space and increased capacities
The plot measures almost 23,200 m2. Of this space, 7,100 m2 has been transformed into a ware-house and operations buidling, office and showroom, along with a service and training facility. The plot offers enough space to expand the new buildings by an additional 3,500 m2, should STIHL India continue on its growth path. With a total investment volume of around 10 million euros, construc-tion took less that one and a half years to complete. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in April 2019, and operations at the new distribution centre started in October 2020. However, the coronavirus pandemic had prevented the facility from being officially dedicated until now.
STIHL India – looking back over 16 successful years
The India-based STIHL sales subsidiary was first established in 2006, consisting of one office with four employees in Bangalore at the time. When it first entered the market, forestry and farm equipment was scarce in India. In response, the distributor began by selling limited units of chain-saws and clearing saws. Demand for hand-operated outdoor power equipment has increased over time due to the rise in automation in India, prompting STIHL India to expand its dealer network na-tionwide. STIHL India currently has 61 employees.