Pass by any Level Green Landscaping job site and you’ll see a scene dotted with the vivid orange of STIHL power tools, from backpack blowers to weed eaters to disc edgers.
We use the time-honored German company’s equipment for a reason: it hardly ever breaks down.
While the 90-year-old company invented the chainsaw and is steeped in tradition, it’s also on the forefront of the latest landscaping equipment technology.
Marion Delano, business development manager at Level Green Landscaping, talks about why we’re happy to partner with STIHL — and why our customers should care.
A Bit About STIHL
STIHL (pronounced “steel”) is a German company but huge in the United States.
Founder Andreas Stihl developed his first chainsaw in 1926. Since then the company has grown into a global chainsaw and outdoor power equipment manufacturer, boasting innovative ideas and meticulous craftsmanship.
Most of the STIHL products sold in the U.S. are made in Virginia Beach, Va. and a majority of STIHL engines are built in the U.S. from domestic and foreign parts and components.
Robots Mowing Lawns
STIHL partnered with Level Green in May to host a booth at an exhibition and expo for property managers.
STIHL showed off their cutting-edge electronic equipment, including the latest cool thing: the iMOW robotic lawn mower.
Imagine a Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner zig zagging around — but cutting your grass.
The iMOW is mostly designed for home owners now, Delano says, as they mow lawns no more than one acre and require buried wire perimeter fencing.
But Delano says commercial models are on the horizon that will mow larger areas and use GPS for navigating.
And they’re pretty exciting.
“The cool thing about it is they mow three times a week, taking off only about a quarter inch, so you get a clean, manicured golf course look,” he says. “Your lawn stays at a constant height.”
While lawn-mowing teens are likely big fans of robotic mowers, Delano sees promise for them for commercial landscapers, too.
“Labor is our biggest expense,” he says, “and the labor market is challenging.”
These mowers could supplement landscapers’ existing crews, STIHL says, allowing their employees to focus on trimming, blowing and other tasks, paving the way to expand their businesses.
The mowers are quiet, too, allowing early morning or nighttime use.
Level Green plans to purchase a STIHL iMOW to use at their corporate headquarters.
“We’ll learn how it works and how we can start using it on commercial properties once it uses GPS,” he says.
The Move To Battery Power
STIHL is a leader in battery-powered equipment, Delano says, and Level Green needs a pioneering partner as they move in that direction.
Level Green has equipped two of its Washington DC crews with all battery-powered STIHL equipment— backpack blowers, string trimmers, edgers and mowers.
There are lots of advantages.
The environmentally friendly equipment uses advanced Lithium-Ion battery technology that adds no polluting emissions to the air like gas-powered tools do.
And they’re quiet, reducing annoying noise pollution.
“It’s a completely noiseless environment,” Delano says. “Here in DC we’re working right next to our customers’ offices or on their roofs. Gas-powered tools are loud and a nuisance. Reducing noise pollution is s huge issue in DC.”
More and more, customers care about being green, he says.
“A lot of the buildings we do are LEED-certified,” he says. “They care about this.”
Why STIHL?
“Quality,” Delano says. “STIHL is the gold standard for commercial grade equipment. Their equipment rarely breaks down. In a commercial space, that’s so important. If a crew has to head back to the yard, that’s down time. That means schedules messed with and jobs not getting done.”
STIHL also offers top-notch customer service, he says, another crucial factor for a commercial landscaper.
“Every company that buys products from them has a rep,” he says. “We can reach out directly to our guy and he can come help us with repairs if we need them. It’s hands-on customer service. They’re not sending us to a third party to fix it.”
STIHL: Level Green “On Cutting Edge”
STIHL reports more commercial landscapers are interested in their battery-powered products as they look for more environmentally friendly ways to do their jobs. They know customers appreciate the quieter tools, especially in noise-sensitive areas like around hospitals and government buildings.
Level Green leads the way.
“Level Green has been on the cutting edge of all the new STIHL battery products,” says Jeremy Mellish, regional sales manager for STIHL in the mid-Atlantic area, and the company rep who works with Level Green. “They have added new units as we release them to the marketplace to make their jobs more efficient.
“Level Green has been great to work with the past few years,” Mellish says. “They’re always searching for how to become more efficient and are always open for suggestions.”
Success With STIHL
Why should our customers care what equipment we use?
You benefit, too.
It means when we’re on your property, our crews are working with high-quality, dependable equipment, getting the job done with no delays.
If there is an equipment problem, our easy access to a STIHL technician means it’s fixed fast.
And STIHL’s quality battery-powered equipment means we’ll be using it more, creating less noise on your property and adding fewer emissions to the environment.
Everybody wins.
Level Green and STIHL: A Winning Team For Your Property
We’re picky about the vendors we use. Quality matters.
It’s part of our motto: Do the Right Thing.
STIHL helps us follow through, with equipment we can count on and the latest technology we need to keep moving forward.
If you’re not already a Level Green Landscaping client, we’d love to add you to our growing list of happy customers.
Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and parts of Virginia.
Contact us at 202-544-0968.
You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.
We’d love to hear from you.
