Topic(s)
- Operations improvement
- Business operations improvement
Explore how STIHL powers performance through Lean Six Sigma and a culture where continuous improvement drives everything they do.
Please note: Personal identification is required to attend this tour.
Overview
Stihl continuous improvement and operational excellence is one of key foundation elements to support the overall vison for the company. Stihl has had a Business Excellence Team for several years to support this vision with the goal to strive to improve processes and systems company-wide while promoting a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence through project management, business process improvement and professional development. This Continuous Improvement Team, now called Operational Excellence, utilizes the Lean Six Sigma Methodology and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analize, Improve, and Control) approach to enable the STIHL organization to achieve significant process improvement initiatives while promoting organizational capability and culture change through training and employee involvement.
Virtually all departments in the organization have some people trained in the continuous improvement methods and are engaged in process improvement initiatives that generate significant cost reduction opportunities and add additional value to our customers. Typical projects result in significant improvements in product quality, costs, overall lead times, on-time delivery, capacity, supply chain performance and customer service.
At STIHL, operational excellence and continuous improvement is not just a program, it’s the way we do business. To quote author James Collins,” Good is the Enemy of Great”. Continuous improvent helps pave the road to becoming great.
Company
As the #1 selling brand of gas- and battery-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America among U.S. professional landscapers*, STIHL is renowned for its legacy of innovation, durability and performance. From chainsaws and trimmers to blowers and mowers, STIHL products are trusted by professionals and homeowners alike and are sold through a network of more than 10,000 authorized local STIHL dealers — not big box stores. STIHL Inc., the U.S. affiliate of the global STIHL Group, employs more than 2,300 people and manufactures over 100 STIHL models at its 150-acre campus in Virginia Beach, VA.
*"Number one selling brand" is based on 2007-2024 syndicated and commissioned surveys and 2023-2024 surveys conducted by Irwin Broh Research of the U.S. professional landscaper and tree care markets. https://www.stihlusa.com/
