STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® And Duluth Trading Company Announce Partnership

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- STIHL Inc., creator and owner of the premier lumberjack sports event, the STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® Series and Duluth Trading Company, the maker of ingenious workwear designed and tested by tradesmen, announced today that Duluth Trading will become the official workwear sponsor of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series.

Based on historic lumberjack traditions, the STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® Series challenges the nation's top lumberjack athletes in the disciplines of hot saw, single buck, springboard chop, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop. These traditional disciplines test the competitors' strength, endurance, stamina, tool skill and agility.

"We are proud to have Duluth Trading on board as a partner of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series as the official workwear sponsor, and we are excited about the future of our relationship," said Brad Sorgen, executive producer of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series. "This partnership aligns two premium brands, known for quality and excellence, and creates a marketing platform that will reach millions of fans."

This year, all TIMBERSPORTS athletes will be wearing DuluthFlex™ Fire Hose^® Pants, which are designed for men who know the discomfort and restriction of crouching, climbing and conquering in unyielding work pants. The Fire Hose Pants were requested by the athletes due to the unparalleled abrasion resistance and three percent spandex flex.

"This sponsorship allows us to outfit the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS athletes in gear that works as hard as they do," said Stephanie Pugliese, President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Duluth Trading. "The objectives of STIHL and the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series fit with our philosophy of outfitting hard working tradesmen and women with workwear built to flex, move and endure, so partnering as the official workwear sponsor was a natural fit."

Established in 1985 by STIHL, the number-one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America*, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series, billed as the Original Extreme Sport, attracts the world's top lumberjack athletes in a competition based on historic logging techniques. The Series is seen by millions of viewers annually in more than 62 countries on networks such as ESPNU, Eurosport, Outdoor Channel and TUFF TV.

Get the latest information, stay up to date on news and the competitions and access behind-the-scenes photos and videos by joining the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series community online and on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About STIHL Inc.

STIHL Inc. manufactures the world's largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of powerful, lightweight, and versatile handheld outdoor power equipment for homeowners and professional users. STIHL products are sold through independent servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of the closest STIHL retailer, call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit STIHL's website at www.stihlusa.com.

*"Number one selling brand" is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research (commercial landscapers) as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2013 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.
 
STIHL Inc. is the official underwriting sponsor of the STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® Series. The series airs throughout the year on the Outdoor Channel and TUFF TV, and the STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® Collegiate Series airs on ESPNU. The STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® SERIES is the pinnacle event in lumberjack sports. Since 1985 the Series has grown to become the premier showcase of the decades old sport of lumberjacking with competitions held around the world.

The term TIMBERSPORTS^® is a registered trademark owned by ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG. and refers to the series of disciplines and competitions that are part of the STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^® Series. As such, it should not be used as a generic description of the overall sport of lumberjack sports. This trademark refers to all modifications of the term TIMBERSPORTS such as timber sports, or timbersport. The term TIMBERSPORTS should always appear in conjunction with "STIHL."

About Duluth Trading Company  

Duluth Trading Company was founded in 1993 in the belief of "There's got to be a better way." Known for its hardworking, ingenious workwear, Duluth Trading's innovative spirit continues today with items such as Fire Hose^® Pants – made of the same rugged canvas once wrapped around fire hoses, Buck Naked™ Underwear –so comfortable it's like you're wearing nothing at all, and Free Swingin' Flannel – burly flannel stitched with Armpit Gussets for F.O.M.™ (Freedom of Movement).

Today, Duluth Trading is an omnichannel apparel retailer carrying on that tradition of ingenious workwear that solves problems for hardworking men and women.

For more information on Duluth Trading Company, visit: www.DuluthTrading.com, http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens-home.aspx?src=STIHL, or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DuluthTradingCompany.

SOURCE STIHL TIMBERSPORTS