Ground was broken for a new Stiihl plant in Oradea, Romania, on March 27, 2024. The new site will be home to a new battery production facility and marks a significant milestone in the growth strategy of the German family business. The international manufacturing network, which features production operations spread across seven countries on four continents, is expanding to include another key location in Europe.

The production facility has a floor space of almost 47,000 square meters and is being built on an site measuring 147,000 square meters. Regular production is set to start in September 2025. The ANDREAS STIHL POWER TOOLS S.R.L. plant in Oradea is expected to employ around 700 people by 2028.

"We currently manufacture cordless products at our plants in Langkampfen, Austria; in Virginia Beach, in the U.S.; as well as in China and Germany," said Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the Advisory Board and Supervisory Board at STIHL, during the official groundbreaking ceremony. "We will also start manufacturing battery-operated tools at our German headquarters in Waiblingen this year and in Oradea starting in 2025, significantly improving our competitiveness in the battery segment in the process."

Florin Spătaru, State Counsellor and therefore a close associate of Romanian Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu, expressed his appreciation for Stihl's investment in Oradea and emphasized the importance of the project for the economic development of the entire country: "Stihl's decision to build a new battery production facility right here will not only boost economic growth in this region, but also help to strengthen our position as a production location in the global market."

Oradea's Mayor Florin Birta focused in his speech on the positive effects of the relocation of a global company like Stihl on the local economy and the labor market: "The company's decision to invest in Oradea is a strong signal of the attractiveness of our region."

Great importance has been attached to sustainability and environmental protection in planning and constructing the new plant. Once completed, the facility will be certified by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). The plant features a photovoltaic system and uses geothermal energy to heat and cool the office building, meaning that the site is completely independent from fossil fuels. The concept also provides for the targeted use of green roofs. 

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