Stihl named John Deere preferred supplier

John Deere's Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division has announced Stihl Inc. and Stihl Ltd. as the preferred supplier of gas powered and corded handheld power equipment in the United States and Canada.

Existing John Deere branded handheld power equipment will soon be substituted with Stihl brand products at qualifying John Deere servicing dealers across North America, said Bob Barbour, group director, marketing operations and customer support for John Deere.

"This decision will enable us to better support growth strategies and offer our customers an industry leading brand of property owner and commercial grade portable power products," Barbour said.

The companies plan a joint marketing strategy as part of the deal. According to Stihl president Fred Whyte, Stihl products currently are sold through more than 500 John Deere dealers in the United States and Canada, “so this is a natural extension of our business model."