Garden Machinery Direct's parent company, Ron Smith & Co, has won the prestigious STIHL 100 Year Award and Leading Garden Machinery Dealer Award during STIHL's centenary celebrations. Discover what these achievements mean for Garden Machinery Direct customers and why our STIHL Shop is the ideal place to buy your next STIHL machine.
Garden Machinery Direct Triumphs at STIHL Centenary Awards!
2026 marks a remarkable milestone for STIHL as the globally respected manufacturer celebrates its 100th anniversary. To commemorate a century of innovation, the company introduced a special programme of awards recognising the outstanding achievements of its Approved Dealers throughout the UK.
We’re delighted to announce that our parent company, Ron Smith & Co, received the highest of these accolades, winning the prestigious STIHL 100 Year Award. The success continued with victory in the Leading Garden Machinery Dealer Award, while Commercial Field Sales Manager Darren Beynon was one of three finalists in the Star of the Dealership Award.
For everyone at Garden Machinery Direct, these achievements are a source of enormous pride. They reflect the knowledge, service and commitment that underpin our entire business.
Celebrating 100 Years of STIHL Innovation
The awards were presented during the STIHL 100 Dealer Conference at STIHL’s UK headquarters, Contra House. Bringing together Approved Dealers from across the country, the event marked a century since Andreas Stihl founded his business in 1926.
Over the last 100 years, STIHL has built a worldwide reputation for producing dependable, high-performance outdoor power equipment. From the portable chainsaw that transformed forestry to today’s advanced battery-powered technology, the company has continually invested in engineering that helps people work more efficiently in nature.
That commitment to innovation has earned STIHL an enviable reputation around the globe. The brand has been the world’s best-selling petrol chainsaw manufacturer since 1971, while its expanding range of battery-powered tools continues to shape the future of garden and grounds maintenance.
The centenary celebrations are therefore much more than simply commemorating the past. They also represent STIHL’s determination to keep developing products that meet the changing needs of homeowners and professionals alike.
Honouring Outstanding Approved Dealers
The STIHL 100 Dealer Conference recognised the businesses and individuals who consistently demonstrate the highest standards across the company’s Approved Dealer network.
Hosted by broadcaster, writer and garden designer Joe Swift, they celebrated excellence in customer service, product expertise and business performance.
As STIHL UK’s Managing Director Kay Green explained, Approved Dealers remain central to the company’s success by providing customers with trusted advice, expert support and dependable after-sales care.
Winning the STIHL 100 Year Award
Among all the honours presented during the evening, none carried greater prestige than the STIHL 100 Year Award.
Presented to Garden Machinery Direct’s parent company, Ron Smith & Co, the award recognised outstanding all-round performance throughout the STIHL 100 campaign and acknowledged consistently high standards across every aspect of the business.
Rather than focusing on a single achievement, the judging considered overall dealer performance, including retail standards, online presence, marketing activity, staff training and sustained business growth.
Receiving this award demonstrates that success comes from maintaining excellence across every customer touchpoint, from first impressions online through to expert advice and long-term support after every purchase.
As part of the presentation, our Managing Director Mark Smith received a limited-edition STIHL MS 500i Centennial Edition chainsaw, produced especially to celebrate STIHL’s 100th anniversary.
Leading the Way in Garden Machinery
The celebrations continued with another significant achievement—winning the Leading Garden Machinery Dealer Award.
This award recognises exceptional dealership performance with regards to STIHL garden machinery, together with consistently high standards of customer care.
The judging considered strong STIHL garden machinery sales alongside customer satisfaction, product knowledge, after-sales support, online presentation, and successful participation in STIHL’s Local Dealer Marketing Programme.
For Garden Machinery Direct customers, this recognition provides additional reassurance that you are buying from a business backed by award-winning expertise and a genuine commitment to customer satisfaction.
Individual Recognition for Outstanding Service
The evening also celebrated individual excellence.
Commercial Field Sales Manager Darren Beynon secured a place among the top three finalists in the Star of the Dealership Award, recognising his professionalism, product knowledge and dedication to supporting customers.
His achievement reflects the expertise found throughout our wider business, where ongoing training and a genuine passion for outdoor power equipment help ensure customers always receive knowledgeable, practical advice.
What These Awards Mean for Our Customers
While the awards were presented to our parent company, the values they recognise are shared across the entire organisation.
Garden Machinery Direct benefits from the same commitment to customer service, technical expertise and continuous improvement that earned these prestigious honours.
Every recommendation we make is supported by ongoing STIHL product training, ensuring our team remains fully up to date with the latest STIHL technology, new product launches and best practice. That knowledge allows us to help customers choose machinery that suits both their gardens and the way they like to work.
Whether you’re buying a cordless mower for weekend lawncare, a petrol chainsaw for demanding cutting tasks or professional battery equipment for commercial use, you can shop with confidence knowing you’re supported by the UK’s most highly regarded STIHL Authorised Dealer.
Thank You for Your Continued Support
Awards of this significance are never achieved by one person alone.
They reflect the hard work of dedicated colleagues, the strength of long-standing partnerships and, above all, the trust placed in us by our customers.
Every order, every recommendation and every returning customer has contributed to the continued growth of our business.
We sincerely thank everyone who has chosen to shop at Garden Machinery Direct and look forward to continuing to provide the expert advice, outstanding service and quality products that are recognised by these awards.
Explore the Garden Machinery Direct STIHL Shop
If you’re looking for STIHL tools and machinery, there’s no better place to go than our dedicated STIHL Shop.
Here, you can discover an extensive range of STIHL chainsaws, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, brushcutters, leaf blowers, pressure washers, cordless power systems, and more, all supported by a knowledgeable team committed to helping you make the right choice.
As we’re owned by an award-winning STIHL Approved Dealer, you can buy with confidence, knowing that expert advice and exceptional customer service remain at the heart of everything we do.
Whether you’re replacing an old favourite or investing in your very first STIHL machine, by choosing Garden Machinery Direct, you’re benefitting from the award-winning expertise that sets our business apart.
Learn More About STIHL’s Amazing Story
To discover more about STIHL’s incredible 100-year history, groundbreaking innovations and the people behind them, be sure to read the fascinating stories shown on STIHL’s international website.
