The family entrepreneur from Waiblingen in southern Germany does not mince his words: "The German economy has been stuck in crisis mode for years. The prerequisite for overcoming the persistent weakness in growth is better framework conditions," Stihl said.
STIHL: €5.48bn in revenue and more than 20,000 employees
In 2025, STIHL generated €5.48 billion in revenue and employed 20,246 people worldwide. Founded by Andreas Stihl in 1926, the company is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Nikolas Stihl is the founder's grandson.
Family businessman Stihl takes a long-term view, and for him one thing is clear: "The situation of the German economy is serious, very serious. In the past eight years we have lost around 15 percent of our industrial output. Month after month Germany is losing around 15,000 industrial jobs."
The industrial base, he warns, is at risk of eroding – and with it prosperity and the welfare state. According to the company, STIHL has been the world's best-selling chainsaw brand since 1971. Nikolas Stihl acknowledges that "the US tariffs, China's aggressive industrial policy and geopolitical tensions" are also weighing on companies like his. But he argues that it is mainly home-grown problems holding firms back: "an overregulated economy, high energy costs, high labour costs, high taxes and a declining level of education and qualifications."
