Stihl has a fan in 'Distribution Trap' author

The Virginian-Pilot
© January 9, 2010

Stihl Inc. got a visit Friday from an unpaid cheerleader - Ohio professor Andrew Thomas. "The Distribution Trap," a book co-written by Thomas and just released by publisher ABC-CLIO, features a chapter lauding Stihl for avoiding the problem alluded to by the title.

Stihl does not distribute to big-box stores, such as Walm arts. Its power tools are available only at Stihl's 8,000 independent dealers.

"It's a very simple business strategy," Thomas said in an interview. "You should control the sales and distribution of the products you innovate."

He engaged in a conversation with Stihl President Fred Whyte before about 35 managers at the company's Virginia Beach headquarters.

"We're the first ones to get tired of the things we say," said Roger Phelps, Stihl's manager of promotional communications. But hearing them from a professor "was almost like a morale boost."

Thomas, an assistant professor of international business at the University of Akron, said he hadn't gotten a cent from Stihl.

"There was no monetary compensation," he said. "I bought my own airline ticket to come here."

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