Langkampfen, 4 December 2025

Ralph Schmid has been named the new Managing Director of the garden equipment manufacturer STIHL Tirol in Langkampfen. He succeeds Richard Felix, who took on the position on an interim basis following the departure of Jan Grigor Schubert. Schmid will assume his new role at the Langkampfen site on 1 January 2026. Schubert is taking on new responsibilities within the STIHL Group and has served as Managing Director of STIHL China since July 2025. Felix will return to his position as Technical Director at STIHL Tirol.

Ralph Schmid was born in Reutlingen, Germany, and holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. Over the course of his career, the 45-year-old has held various management roles at Tesat-Spacecom GmbH & Co. KG. Most recently, he served on the executive management team of a subsidiary of the Airbus Group as Chief Procurement Officer and Chief Operations Officer and, for a period, also assumed overall responsibility as interim Chief Executive Officer. 

Commenting on his appointment at STIHL Tirol, Schmid said: "I have already had the pleasure of meeting the ambitious team in Tyrol. I look forward to working with the employees in Langkampfen and to making Tyrol my new home.”

Martin Schwarz, STIHL Board Member for Production and Materials Management, thanked Jan Grigor Schubert and Richard Felix for their service and added: “We are delighted to welcome Ralph Schmid as the new Managing Director at our STIHL site in Tyrol. We are confident that his many years of leadership experience will further strengthen STIHL Tirol.”

Information about STIHL Tirol:
STIHL Tirol GmbH, based in Langkampfen, Austria, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the STIHL Group. The company manufactures battery-powered products and serves as the Group’s centre of excellence for ground-based gardening tools, which are both developed and produced on site. In 2024, STIHL Tirol employed 927 people.

STIHL company profile:
The STIHL Group is a global market and technology leader in the development, manufacture and distribution of cordless, electric and petrol-powered tools for forestry, agriculture, landscape maintenance, the construction industry and private garden owners. The product range is complemented by digital solutions and services. STIHL products are sold through specialist dealers and the company’s own online shops, which are being expanded internationally. The distribution network includes 44 STIHL sales and marketing subsidiaries, around 120 importers and over 52,000 specialist dealers in more than 160 countries. STIHL manufactures in eight countries worldwide: Germany, USA, Brazil, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, China and the Philippines. STIHL has been the world’s best-selling chainsaw brand since 1971. Founded in 1926, STIHL is headquartered in Waiblingen near Stuttgart, Germany. As a sustainable family business, STIHL aims to make working in and with nature easier. In 2024, STIHL employed 19,732 people worldwide and generated revenue of 5.33 billion euros.

Your press contact

STIHL Tirol GmbH
Mag. Christian Dag
Hans Peter Stihl-Straße 5
A-6336 Langkampfen
Tel.: +43 (0) 5372 6972 267
E-Mail: christian.dag@stihl.at