ews Hot News Hot News Hot News Hot News Hot News Hot News Hot News Hot New
STIHL HEADQUARTERS AUDITORIUM NAMED IN FORMER PRESIDENT ’ S HONOR Stihl Inc . paid homage to and dedicated its U . S . headquarters ’ auditorium to former president Fred J . Whyte . On January 10 , 2023 , Whyte ’ s wife , Karen Whyte , and Stihl Inc . president and CEO Terry Horan unveiled the newly named Fred J . Whyte auditorium during an afternoon ceremony .
“ Since joining Stihl 10 months ago , I have been overwhelmed by the positive impact Fred Whyte had on this great organization ,” said Horan . “ From Stihl associates to distributors to dealers nationwide , there has never been anything but good things said to me about this man . I strongly believe that his legacy should live on in a more prominent way for all who enter this building , especially those like myself , who never had the good fortune to meet him .”
The Fred J . Whyte Auditorium is located in the 80,000-square-foot Stihl Inc . administration building in Virginia Beach , which opened in October 2019 .
Whyte began his Stihl career in 1971 as a regional manager for Stihl American , the same company where his father had worked for nearly two decades . In 1982 , the Stihl family asked him to establish Canadian operations for Stihl . After 10 years with Stihl Limited in Canada , he was named Stihl Inc . president in 1992 . Whyte served in this role for 23 years and managed the Stihl U . S . operations headquartered in Virginia Beach . Under Whyte ’ s presidential tenure at Stihl Inc ., the company experienced 22 years of annual increases in sales and revenue and became the number-one-selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America , the company notes . He retired from this position in December 2015 .
During retirement , he served as sole director and chairman of the board of directors for Stihl Inc . In this advisory role , Whyte provided strategic counsel to the company ’ s executive council and reported to Stihl International , where he worked closely with the Stihl family in Germany . Whyte passed away in July 2017 at age 70 .
“ Fred truly enjoyed connecting with people , but when it came to interactions with people at Stihl , it went another level ,” Karen Whyte shared . “ Fred realized that the success of Stihl depended on the success of the employees , the distributors and Stihl dealers . It was important to him to build relationships with them , to understand their businesses and what they needed to be successful .”
“ The year 2023 marks a new chapter in the phenomenal growth of our company and the unique people that contribute to that growth . Mr . Fred Whyte was certainly one of those people throughout his career . This auditorium will forever remind all who enter of who he was and the extraordinary contributions he made to our company ’ s success ,” said Horan .
TUFF TORQ EXPANDS TENNESSEE FACTORY FOR ELECTRIC DRIVE , TZ PRODUCTION Tuff Torq Corporation – the Yanmar company that develops and manufactures hydro-static transaxle drive systems for ride-on lawn tractors , UTVs and other equipment – has begun expansion of its existing production facilities in Morristown , Tenn .
The expansion will add approximately 20,000 square feet to the current building , the company reports , and will be utilized to meet the demand for Tuff Torq ’ s TZ series transaxle production , “ as well as forging the way for the company ’ s new eDS ( electric ) product line .”
Tuff Torq Corporation ( TTC ) adds these expansion details :
A new zero-turn transaxle ( TZ series ) production line will be added to meet near-term production demand . The expansion also provides space to add an additional line in the future . Tuff Torq notes that it will “ utilize new technology to improve efficiency by reducing major sources of downtime on the new TZ line .”
In addition to meeting current production demand , the expanded production facilities will also serve to launch the company ’ s new electric drive systems ( eDS ). Scheduled to begin in 2023 , this production “ will position Tuff Torq Corporation to provide options for our customers in every sector of the lawn and garden market .”
The expansion will create 60 new job positions for the East Tennessee community , stated Tuff Torq : “ TTC has always served its community well by offering top-level positions and will continue to strive to create work for the community at a competitive wage .”
GREENWORKS OPENS NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING IN MORRISTOWN , TENNESSEE Greenworks Commercial expanded its global footprint by opening the doors
12 OPE Business March 2023 www . OPEBusiness . com