Press Release

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Highlights Strength of the U.S. Economy at STIHL, Inc.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.—U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined U.S. Congresswoman Thelma Drake (R-VA, 02) in a visit to a local manufacturing facility today to underscore the strength of the U.S. economy. Gutierrez toured STIHL, Inc., a maker of power tools that is expanding its facility and adding approximately three hundred jobs in the area. He highlighted the July Employment Report released earlier this morning, which showed 113,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate at 4.8 percent, near its lowest level since July 2001 and below the average of each of the past three decades.

“With the addition of 113,000 jobs and increasing wages, today’s employment report shows President Bush’s economic policies are working for American workers. Since 2004, the U.S. has created more jobs than the rest of the G-7 countries combined. Our economy has grown a strong 4.0 percent this year,” said Gutierrez. “America will continue to move forward with the President’s agenda of lowering taxes and opening markets for American exporters like STIHL.”

Gutierrez was hosted by Fred Whyte, President of STIHL, Inc. STIHL, a subsidiary of a German company, manufactures the world’s largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of outdoor power equipment. STIHL began manufacturing at the Virginia Beach facility in 1974 with about 50 employees. Today, the company employs approximately 1,350 people in Virginia Beach and an additional 300 nationwide. The company is expanding their Virginia Beach manufacturing facility and will employ an additional 300 people.

Gutierrez underscored the importance of open markets for trade that create jobs and opportunity at home and abroad. In the past year, American exports have increased more than 12 percent. STIHL Incorporated exports to over 80 countries.

“We will continue to advance the President’s economic policies of keeping taxes low and spending down in order to create jobs and opportunities for U.S. families and businesses,” Gutierrez added. “It is innovative businesses and skilled workers like STIHL Incorporated’s that keep our economy the envy of the industrialized world.”