NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 25 – STIHL East Africa has announced plans to introduce battery powered products in the East African Market as the firm celebrates its one year anniversary in the region.

STIHL East Africa Managing Director Francois Marais said the move is necessitated by the demand for sustainable energy sources amidst global climate change challenges.

“We are very excited to be introducing Battery-operated tools in the East African Market, the tools are more sustainable, and they do not rely on fossil fuel. They also do not produce carbon emissions and are less noisy. Battery-operated tools also require less maintenance because they do not have as many parts to service,” Marais said during the company’s first year anniversary celebrations.

Some of the powered battery tools to be available in the East African market include chainsaws, brushcutters, hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, sprayers and blowers among others.

“As a company, sustainability is a key aspect of our brand, the battery powered products will have a positive impact on the environment, reducing carbon emissions,” Marais added.

The STIHL Group success story with battery-operated tools began in 2009 with the launch of STIHL’s first battery-operated products: the STIHL HSA 65 and STIHL HSA 85 hedge trimmers. STIHL – which produces the tools and also the corresponding battery packs and chargers – has been continuously developing its battery technology for optimal output, performance, and weight. Now, the STIHL product range includes more than 50 battery-operated tools for private consumers and professionals.

“We will also be launching innovative battery technology in the Eastern African Market.This technology has always been at the cutting edge of development. The latest innovations from STIHL include the STIHL MSA 300 professional chainsaw, the most powerful battery-operated chainsaw currently available on the market. STIHL developed the AP 500 S battery pack especially for this tool. The pack offers outstanding performance at a low weight, as well as double the number of possible charging cycles, which significantly increases battery life span compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries,” said Lucia Ayanda, STIHL East Africa Product Manager.

In September last year, The STIHL Group announced that it is stepping up its battery strategy, with new plans to manufacture battery-operated tools for professional users at its headquarters in Waiblingen, Germany.

The mother company announced that a new production facility will be set up at STIHL Plant 2 in Waiblingen-Neustadt and is set to begin operations in 2024.

“Almost 20 percent of all STIHL tools sold worldwide are battery-operated,” said Michael Traub, Chairman of the STIHL Executive Board. “Battery is our fastest-growing market segment and is an area of development that we continue to invest in significantly. By establishing a new battery-operated tool production facility, we are laying the groundwork to remain a leading player in the battery market.”

STIHL Group entered the East African Market in August 2022, with the launch of its East Africa sales subsidiary, STIHL East Africa.

“Since we launched, we have secured over 30 dealers in the Eastern Africa Region; we are currently represented through a dealer network in Kenya,Uganda,Tanzania and Rwanda. Plans are underway to increase the Point of Sales /POS in Tanzania, Uganda and other Eastern Africa markets that includes and is not limited to South Sudan, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea,” added John Wachira, STIHL East Africa Sales Manager.