STIHL Southeast, Inc.

STIHL Southeast began in 1988, with Bob Noble, Sr. purchasing the distributorship. Soon thereafter he purchased the Alabama territory, with Georgia having been added in 1990. In addition, SSE supplies STIHL products to several islands in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Barbados, among others. The total STIHL retailer count is approximately 850. STIHL Southeast is located in Orlando, Florida in a 154,000 sq. ft. facility. The company’s employment has risen from the original group of 21 to its current level of 96 full time employees. A great deal of SSE’s success and sales growth has resulted from the company’s Dealer Development programs – merchandising, training, and marketing, to name a few. These programs assist in separating SSE from other OPE distributors providing STIHL retailers with superior service and support. As an example, effective merchandising and display programs have been a part of STIHL Southeast’s vision since its inception. SSE utilizes ground-breaking methods to assist retailers in using these systems as a sales tool, as well as providing their customers with a superior shopping experience. SSE also works diligently to make sure STIHL retailers are properly trained in all aspects of STIHL products – product knowledge, sales, service and support. SSE achieves this through service schools/seminars and online web-based meetings. STIHL Southeast provides technological eCommerce solutions to its dealer base through web-based ordering, pay-on-line programs, product registration and parts lookup, training, and marketing materials. SSE first began web-based eCommerce in 1998 and continues to upgrade all aspects of online business practices.