From its headquarters in Marble Hill, Missouri, Crader Distributing Company has built one of the largest and longest-running STIHL distribution operations in the world. For four generations, the company has grown while staying true to its Southeast Missouri roots. Today, it serves six states, employs more than 150 people, and is recognized as the oldest independent and largest STIHL distributor globally. Despite industry accolades and opportunities to relocate closer to major markets, the Crader family has remained committed to Southeast Missouri.
What began as a modest farm equipment dealership in 1944 has grown into a sophisticated logistics, sales, and marketing operation that fuels economic activity across the region. Backed by steady leadership, loyal employees, and a culture of innovation, Crader Distributing Company (CDC) demonstrates that world-class performance does not require a big-city zip code. It requires deep community roots and a consistent drive to serve.
“It’s hard to beat the quality of life here in Southeast Missouri,” said President Scott Crader. “We’ve had opportunities to move our operation to other areas closer to the larger markets, but Marble Hill is our home.”
CDC and its sister company, Blue Mountain Equipment, serve as the exclusive STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment distributors across a six-state region in the central United States. CDC covers Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Southern Illinois, while Blue Mountain Equipment, based in McKinney, Texas, manages distribution for Texas and Oklahoma. Together, the companies support thousands of independent dealers, providing full-service distribution that includes marketing, sales, training, technical support, and logistics.
In 1944, Buford Crader, along with his brother-in-law and uncle, opened an International Harvester dealership serving Southeast Missouri’s agricultural community. After later buying out the other partners and renaming the business Crader Equipment, Buford continued growing the operation while building a reputation for service throughout the region. Don Crader joined the business in 1952 and helped expand the company’s offerings with product lines that complemented International Harvester equipment, including lawnmowers, chainsaws, and outdoor power equipment.
After becoming a STIHL dealer in 1959 and seeing strong retail success, the company took a major step forward one year later when the purchase of 40 chainsaws secured wholesale distribution rights for eastern Missouri. Don Crader then began traveling from town to town across the region with a trunk load of chainsaws, building the dealer network one relationship at a time. His market research was often simple but effective. He would stop in small towns, find a phone booth, and look through the Yellow Pages for the business running the largest power tools advertisement.
In the mid-1980s, after appealing directly to the STIHL family, the company acquired neighboring distributors and became the exclusive STIHL distributor for the central United States. It continues to serve in that role today. The acquisition of Blue Mountain Equipment in 1988 expanded its footprint into Texas and Oklahoma.
As customer expectations and market pressures increasingly pushed distributors toward one-day delivery models, many companies in the industry relocated operations closer to major metropolitan areas. The Crader family chose a different path. By investing in logistics capabilities and negotiating next-day service into major markets from Marble Hill, CDC was able to remain rooted in Southeast Missouri while continuing to compete at a national level.
Today, CDC employs approximately 150 people. Several team members have retired after more than 40 years of service, and others are approaching the 50-year mark. That level of retention reflects both the company’s culture and the commitment of its workforce. Leadership consistently points to the depth of talent in Southeast Missouri as a key factor in its success.
“Technology is rapidly evolving, and the competitive landscape is changing just as fast,” Scott Crader said. “But our biggest support comes in the form of employees with the desire to work and do a great job. I can’t state enough how much that matters. When our employees regularly go the extra mile, our customers are more successful.”
As the oldest and largest independent STIHL distributor in the world, CDC ranks fourth among STIHL’s global distribution subsidiaries in size and sales. CDC operates as a fully self-managed distribution system, overseeing marketing, sales, training, technical support, and customer service across its entire region. It functions as more than a fulfillment center. It serves as a full-service partner to STIHL dealers.
That performance has not gone unnoticed. The company has earned multiple accolades, including the SEMO Triumph Award, which recognizes businesses in Southeast Missouri that demonstrate sustained growth, innovation, leadership, and a willingness to invest in the region.
Crader family members have also remained active in community and regional development efforts. Stan Crader helped secure state funding for the Mayfield Entrepreneurial Center in Marble Hill and continues to serve on the committee overseeing the facility’s operations and long-term development.
Scott Crader’s leadership as the fourth-generation president builds on a long family legacy. After Buford Crader, his grandfather Don Crader joined the business in the early 1950s and remained actively involved until his passing in 2014. Stan Crader served as president for more than 30 years. Scott joined the company in 1997 and was named president in 2019. Several other family members have worked, or continue to work, in various roles across the organization.
With a strong executive team and a long-term commitment to both innovation and community, CDC continues to grow while staying grounded in its founding values. The next chapter may already be underway. A fifth-generation Crader recently spent his first summer working in the company’s warehouse.
Company Name: CDC•BME
Locations: Marble Hill, Missouri (HQ); McKinney, Texas (sister company)
Website: www.cdcbme.com & www.stihlusa.com
Employees: 150+
Business Spotlight Series
The SEMO REDI Business Spotlight Series highlights standout companies across Southeast Missouri that are driving economic growth, creating jobs, and investing in their communities. From legacy manufacturers and innovative startups to regional anchors, these businesses represent the talent, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit that define our region. Through this series, we aim to celebrate the people and stories behind the companies helping Southeast Missouri thrive.