A success story since 1971: STIHL Magnesium Diecasting celebrated its 50th anniversary by holding a summer festival for the company's approximately 950 employees on July 9, 2022. Employees, families, and friends enjoyed a varied range of entertainment for all ages, from a music program to arts and crafts, a circus inviting audience participation, and acrobatic performances. The celebrations had been scheduled for 2021, but were postponed for a year due to the pandemic. Initially started as a small plant with 70 employees, the STIHL site in Weinsheim, Germany, now measures some 35,500 square meters and produces high-quality magnesium components, not only for the company's own professional chainsaws and power tools, but also for the automotive, motorcycle, e-bike, and electrical industries, as well as the medical technology sector. External customers now account for some 30 percent of revenue. Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the STIHL Supervisory Board and Advisory Board, thanked the staff for what the company had achieved and for their hard work and dedication: "All of you stand for the successful development of our plant over the past five decades - the current staff and all our former employees alike. Your expertise, your inventiveness, and your ingenuity and initiative have always been the factors guaranteeing our lasting success. You should rightly be proud of what we have achieved."
Bold decision as cornerstone for success
To ensure the quality and availability of magnesium die-cast parts and remain independent of its suppliers, STIHL decided back in 1970 to build a magnesium diecasting plant of its own. Hartmut Fischer, general manager of the STIHL plant in Weinsheim, notes: "It was a bold decision back then, but it soon paid off. With our high degree of vertical integration and exacting quality standards for production and products, as well as the endurance typical of STIHL, we have made the plant into one of the leading magnesium diecasting plants in Europe, if not the world. We're proud of that." And STIHL Magnesium Diecasting, also known internally as Plant 4, is well positioned for the future as well. Dr. Nikolas Stihl comments: "We're well positioned, so we don't have to worry about the challenges to come - quite the opposite, in fact. The biggest single investment we have made, which was in the recently commissioned production logistics unit, is an example of our confidence. Our Plant 4, which has been led to noteworthy effect by Hartmut Fischer and his leadership team for the past seven years, will continue to make a significant contribution to the success of the STIHL Group now and into the future."
Economics minister and head of district authority offer best wishes on anniversary
Political figures were also on hand to offer best wishes during the festivities. The economics minister of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Daniela Schmitt, noted: "Fifty years of STIHL Magnesium Diecasting in Weinsheim - STIHL has managed to develop production processes with classic engineering expertise and a thirst for innovation for the future. Together with its employees, the company is tackling the big challenges of the future for the energy-intensive metal industry. The innovative new production unit for e-bike components is a prime example of how the plant is adapting to change and further developing its business model in order to remain competitive in the long run." Andreas Kruppert, head of the district authority for the district of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, added: "As one of the biggest employers and a flagship business in our region, STIHL makes a key contribution to employment and prosperity in the district of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm. I'd like to thank everyone responsible for their entrepreneurial commitment and dedication and for their ongoing investment in Weinsheim as a place to do business."