WAIBLINGEN,Germany – STIHL is marking the 60th anniversary of the development of the first gearless one-man chainsaw the STIHL Contra.
The Contra made it possible for STIHL to revolutionize the world of forestry in 1959 when it hit the market 30 years after the first STIHL two-man gasoline-powered chainsaw. It set new standards in the field .
After its official launch, it did not take long for the Contra to gain recognition as the one-man gasoline-powered chain saw with the highest cutting performance.
In 2019, the “legendary Contra” – the pride of collectors and owners alike – celebrates its 60th anniversary.
200 percent more productivity
In 1959, STIHL founder Andreas Stihl achieved a technological breakthrough with development of the Contra, a gearless one-man chainsaw, that made forestry work significantly easier.
Equipped with a chipper-tooth chain and a diaphragm carburetor capable of working in any position, the chainsaw offered unlimited flexibility without having to manually change settings.
Due to its compact and streamlined design, it was more efficient than its predecessors, with engine performance of 6 hp and a maximum speed of 7,000 rotations per minutes.
According to STIHL, the Contra allowed forestry operations to increase productivity by 200 percent and made it possible for STIHL to set the new standards in the field of chainsaws.
The beginning of a success story
After its official launch, it did not take long for the Contra to gain recognition as the one-man gasoline-powered chain saw with the highest cutting performance.
Success of the Contra helped STIHL achieve a double-digit increase in revenue. Rapid expansion within the gasoline-powered chainsaws success made it possible and necessary to increase the STIHL’s capacities with new production facilities in the years following the release.
From 1959 to 1969, STIHL’s workforce grew from 640 employees to over 1,500.
Based on the technical foundation laid by the Contra, STIHL has worked constantly in the years since to further improve the safety, ergonomics, environmental friendliness and performance of its chainsaws.
From the anti-vibration system first installed in the Contra in 1965 and the QuickStop chain brake to catalytic converters, emission-reduction technologies and the launch of battery technology for chainsaws 10 years ago, STIHL has constantly been raising the bar.
Since 1971, STIHL has been the world’s top-selling chainsaw brand.
The latest milestone is the STIHL injection technology, which is featured in the STIHL MS 500i gasoline-powered chain saw, the first mass-produced chainsaw with electronic fuel injection.
