POST-SHOW RECAP
a deep dive on this manufacturer during our visit to Stihl headquarters in Germany, but seeing the array of America-focused products at Equip Expo made us ask,“ Why?”
“ The beauty of our line is the diversity of our consumers and the diversity of our dealer groups,” said Asif Azhar, VP of sales for Stihl.“ We have products for consumers and products for professionals. We have battery and gas products, and it all meets the needs of a variety of customers, and a variety of dealers. We want to provide the right product that is viable and efficient for the dealers’ business and then also meets their customers’ needs.”
Other manufacturers are trying to do the same— including DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Echo and more— though maybe not all with 80 new products this year.
New to the show this year and with a different type of product was Strauss Workwear. The company spent part of the show quashing the rumor that it was Strauss like Levis Strauss; it’ s not. It spent most of the show with a large crowd of interested buyers investigating its large display and huge range of work-focused apparel, from boots to shirts and more.
“ It’ s a tool you wear,” repeated their PR team at the event. For more than 70 years, the German company, named for Englebert Strauss, has been making apparel for people who work hard physically, and it’ s increasing its U. S. exposure by being at Equip Expo. Judging by booth traffic, they got a good start. And the nearby Carhartt booth was noticeably quieter, but they also have a big headstart in name recognition.
Wrap-up
While our pre-show expectations were for a quieter Equip Expo with lower attendance and less activity on the new-product side, we were wrong— pleasantly so. Yes, we know sales at the dealer level are slowing( the October numbers show same-store sales are off by 12 %, from our friends at Constellation), but the forecast for the future seems to show grass-growing sun and the right amount of rain.
14 OPE + December 2025 www. OPE-Plus. com