Analysis of the production training concept at STIHL Tirol

27.05.2025
Practical Project

The STIHL Tirol headquarters in Langkampfen, which has grown steadily over the years.

Students at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol supported garden tool manufacturer STIHL Tirol in setting up and planning a new training center at its site. This involved identifying core skills, reviewing training materials, and developing various training layouts.

How do you teach complex assembly tasks and quality? Students in the master's degree program ERP Systems & Business Process Management at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol conducted a comprehensive analysis of the training concept and the new training rooms at STIHL Tirol as part of a practical project. Not only were the core skills of the assembly workers identified and documented, but various design options for the training rooms and stations were also developed.

STIHL TIROL AS A PARTNER FOR PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

STIHL Tirol, based in Langkampfen, is a leading manufacturer of ground-based and hand-held gardening and forestry equipment. As part of the internationally successful STIHL Group, the company is characterized by innovative technologies and high quality standards. Training its members of staff / employees is an important part of ensuring product quality and smooth production processes within the company. High quality indicators and the usage of employee know-how in the continuous improvement process (CIP) are of great importance to the company. For this reason, the cooperation with the technical degree programs at the FH Kufstein Tirol has been further strengthened and continued for this project.

PRACTICAL LEARNING AND VALUABLE INSIGHTS

During a five-month project phase, four students analyzed the training concept, the setup of the new premises, and the training materials for new employees. STIHL Tirol also provided project support to ensure ongoing communication and joint development of the training program. The students presented several ideas for improving the traceability of the skills acquired and for determining these skills. By reviewing the existing training materials and revising them, the theoretical content was reduced and the practical content increased. STIHL Tirol demonstrated its high standards in the areas of workplace design and ergonomics for employees.

The potential identified in the area of focusing on core skills has been incorporated into the training plan and is currently being implemented. Options for teaching these skills were also examined and the results from the projects were confirmed with the industrial engineering degree program.

After the analysis, the results were compared with existing internal documentation. Any discrepancies identified were worked out and potential for optimization identified. The students then developed proposals for improving the balance between practice and theory in the training program and for imparting quality awareness and core skills at dedicated stations. Since the assembly processes are highly complex, requiring intensive training for employees, the reduction in the time spent on theory generated clear added value.

EFFECTIVE COOPERATION AND SUSTAINABLE RESULTS

The cooperation between the students and STIHL Tirol was assessed as extremely positive by both sides. The open exchange enabled both partners to gain valuable insights.

LONG-TERM IMPACT AND FOLLOW-UP PROJECTS

The project provided valuable insights that are of great benefit to both STIHL Tirol and the students. Direct implementation is currently underway.

For students at the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences, the project represents valuable practical experience that will also be used in teaching. Future student groups on the degree programs in Industrial Engineering, ERP Systems & Business Process Management, and Smart Products & Solutions will benefit from the knowledge gained.

The close cooperation between STIHL Tirol and the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences will be continued and deepened with a follow-up project that is already in the works.