WORK has officially begun on Stihl’s new 11,500 m², ‘state-of-the-art’ headquarters in Surrey. 

Bosses from the firm and the area’s mayor were among those to mark the official start of construction at the site last month, with a ‘groundbreaking’ ceremony held to turn the first soil. 

Due for completion in 2023, the plant, near Stihl’s current UK base, will be home to nearly 100 employees and boast dedicated dealer training facilities, a restaurant, flexible collaborative workspaces and a technical workshop. 

The new 9,000 m² warehouse space will utilise the latest picking and storage system technology to maximise productivity, efficiency and the use of space. All logistics will now be consolidated onto one site, meaning a speedier and more efficient delivery service to the 700-strong Stihl dealer network.

Kay Green, managing director of Stihl GB, said: “The groundbreaking ceremony is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Stihl GB and the result of a sustained period of growth in recent years. 

READ MORE: Stihl unveils first plans for state of the art UK headquarters

“Our new purpose-built headquarters represents a significant capital investment and is a commitment to the future for our dealers and end-user customers.”

The new HQ is said to boast first-class environmental credentials, including BREEAM Certification, the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for building projects. 

In addition, it is proposed that two-thirds of the total roof area (1,600 m²) will be covered with photovoltaic solar panels to provide power to the new facility, and that EV charging points will be installed across the site.