Yamaha Motor (TOKYO: 7272) is a world-leading producer of motorcycles, marine products, power products and surface mounters. The company’s diverse business and wide variety of products are built around its proprietary technologies focused on small engines, fiberglass-reinforced plastics and electronic control.
Yamaha Motor conducts global development, production and marketing operations through 140 subsidiaries and equity-method affiliates in 30 countries. About 90% of consolidated net sales are generated in more than 200 countries outside Japan. The company is steadily restructuring its global engineering, manufacturing and marketing capabilities for sustainable long-term growth.
For over 60 years now, the iconic Japanese brand Yamaha Motor Company Ltd has strived to create technologically advanced products used across a variety of industries.
At the core of Yamaha Motor Group’s corporate philosophy lies the notion of “Kando”, which in Japanese refers to the state of mind that is achieved when reaching a new state of excitement and surprise that exceeds original expectations. Yamaha Motor aims to be a Kando-creating company, and in this aim strives to leverage its ingenuity and passion to realize peoples’ dreams, always looking at generating “the next Kando” for its customers.
*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value.
Background
During World War II, Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd (founded in 1897, presently the Yamaha Corporation), the company from which Yamaha Motor later spun off, was assigned to apply its technology in musical instrument manufacturing to the production of propellers for military aircraft. After the war ended, the company sought ways of using its manufacturing facilities for peaceful ends. Eventually it entered the motorcycle business as the motorcycle manufacturing division of Nippon Gakki. The company’s first motorcycle model, the YA-1, got off to a successful start, winning in its debut entries at Japan’s top two motorcycle races at the time, while also receiving high acclaim for its product quality.
To scale up production and market the YA-1, Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd was established. Some years later, in 1961, Yamaha entered its first World GP race. Since then and to this day, Yamaha has continued to challenge itself on the racing scene, making the art of engineering based on technologies and know-how a hallmark of the Yamaha brand.
Products/Services
- Motorcycles – represent 65% of Yamaha Motor’s business
- Boats and marine engines – represent 18% of Yamaha Motor’s sales, and is a growing business representing more than a 20% margin and one which the company wishes to further develop
- Personal watercraft
- Swimming pools
- All-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles
- Snowmobiles
- Golf cars
- Generators
- Electric power-assisted vehicles
- Electric wheelchairs
- Industrial machinery and robots
- Automobile engines
- Industrial-use unmanned helicopters
Markets
About 90% of consolidated net sales are generated in more than 200 countries outside of Japan. Over 100 consolidated subsidiaries worldwide.
Industry
Manufacture and sales of motorcycles, scooters, electrically power assisted bicycles, boats, sailboats, personal watercraft, pool, utility boats, fishing boats, outboard motors, ATVs, recreational off-highway vehicles, racing kart engines, gold cars, multi-purpose engines, generators, water pumps, snowmobiles, small snow throwers, automobile engines, surface mounters, intelligent machinery, industrial-use unmanned helicopters, electrical power units for wheelchairs, helmets, import and sales of various types of products, development of tourist businesses and management of leisure, recreational facilities and related services.
