FreiLacke has been named Stihl’s Top Supplier for 2025
STIHL has once again recognised its top-performing suppliers this year and, for the first time, presented an award to the paint manufacturer
The family-run company STIHL, which, like FreiLacke, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, is honouring suppliers who have delivered outstanding performance in 2025 in the areas of quality, technology, innovation, service and value for money. Managing Director Dr Rainer Frei and Jens Staniak, the sales representative responsible for the Industry business unit, were invited to the STIHL Brand World in Waiblingen for the awards ceremony.
Innovation as the foundation of a strong partnership
STIHL and FreiLacke have been linked by a partnership spanning more than 60 years, which dates back to the 1960s. It was founded by Emil Frei Junior, Franz Frei and Erwin Frei. Following an enquiry from STIHL, FreiLacke achieved a decisive breakthrough at that time: the company developed a coating based on powder coating technology, which was still untested at the time.
The development required courage, perseverance and significant investment. The testing phase lasted five years before the new technology was ready for series production. The effort paid off: FreiLacke succeeded in coating die-cast magnesium housings without any bubbles for the first time. This laid the foundation for the continued success of powder coatings to this day.
For STIHL, the innovative coating brings numerous benefits. It ensures improved corrosion protection, a high-quality finish and more robust, longer-lasting housings. At the same time, it lays the groundwork for cost-effective mass production – and establishes the foundation for a partnership that remains successful to this day.
The history of STIHL and FreiLacke underscores the words of Martin Schwarz, STIHL’s Executive Board Member for Production and Materials Management: “Our suppliers are far more than just suppliers. They are co-creators, enablers and often also catalysts – for innovation, for quality and for the continuous development of our products and processes.”
Today, FreiLacke supplies STIHL plants in Germany, Brazil and the USA with bespoke coating solutions. The range of applications is diverse: it extends from casting coatings for saw blade production, through powder coatings for magnesium die-cast components, to special coatings for components with ESD requirements. Virtually all components of a STIHL chainsaw are now coated using FreiLacke coating solutions.
In addition to product supply, the focus is on knowledge transfer: through regular workshops and the participation of STIHL staff in our customer training courses, FreiLacke actively supports the STIHL team in its ongoing development.
Over the years, this collaboration has evolved into a partnership centred on quality, trust and innovation.
