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| Founded | October 12, 1887 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan |
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Products | Musical instruments, Audio/Video, Electronics, Computer related products, ATVs, Motorbikes, Vehicle Engines, Personal water craft |
| Revenue | ▲ 7.4 billion US$ (2003) |
| Operating income | 900 million US$ (2005) |
| Net income | 149 million US$ (2003) |
| Employees | 23,500 (3/2003) |
| Website | Yamaha.com |
The Yamaha Corporation (ヤマハ株式会社 Yamaha Kabushiki Gaisha) (TYO: 7951) is a multinational corporation and conglomerate based in Japan with a wide range of products and services, predominantly musical instruments, motorcycles, powersports equipment, and electronics.
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[edit] History
Yamaha was established in 1887 as a piano and reed organ manufacturer by Torakusu Yamaha as Nippon Gakki Company, Limited (日本楽器製造株式会社 Nippon Gakki Seizō Kabushiki Gaisha) (Literally Japan Musical Instrument Manufacturing Co.) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture, and was incorporated on October 12, 1897. The company's origins as a musical instrument manufacturer is still reflected today in the group's logo—a trio of interlocking tuning forks. [3]
After World War II, company president Genichi Kawakamisaki repurposed the remains of the company's war-time production machinery and the company's expertise in metallurgical technologies to the manufacture of motorcycles. The YA-1 (aka Akatombo, the "Red Dragonfly"), of which 125 were built in the first year of production (1958), was named in honor of the founder. It was a 125cc, single cylinder, two-stroke, streetbike patterned after the German DKW RT125 (which the British munitions firm, BSA, had also copied in the post-war era and manufactured as the Bantam and Harley-Davidson as the Hummer). In 1959, the success of the YA-1 resulted in the founding of the Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
Yamaha has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of musical instruments (including pianos, "silent" pianos, drums, guitars, brass instruments, woodwinds, violins, violas, celli, vibraphones, and saxophones), as well as a leading manufacturer of semiconductors, Audio/Visual, computer related products, sporting goods, home appliances, specialty metals and Industrial robots.[citation needed]
In October 1987, on its 100th anniversary, the name was changed to The Yamaha Corporation.
In 1989, Yamaha shipped the world's first CD recorder[chronology source needed]. Since then, Yamaha has purchased Sequential Circuits in 1988[chronology source needed] and bought a significant share (51%) of competitor Korg in 1989–1993.
In 2002, Yamaha closed down its archery product business that was started in 1959. Six archers in five different Olympic Games won gold medals using their products.[1]
It acquired German Audio Software manufacturers Steinberg in 2004, from Pinnacle Systems.
In July, 2007, Yamaha bought out the minority shareholding of the Kemble family in Yamaha-Kemble Music (UK) Ltd, Yamaha's UK import and musical instrument and professional audio equipment sales arm, the company being renamed Yamaha Music U.K. Ltd in autumn 2007.[2] Kemble & Co. Ltd, the UK piano sales & manufacturing arm was unaffected.[3]
On December 20, 2007, Yamaha made an agreement with the Austrian Bank BAWAG P.S.K. Group BAWAG to purchase all the shares of Bösendorfer[4], intended to take place in early 2008. Yamaha intends to continue manufacturing at the Bösendorfer facilities in Austria.[5]The acquisition of Bösendorfer was announced after the NAMM Show in Los Angeles, on January 28, 2008. As of February 1, 2008, Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Yamaha Corp.[6]
Yamaha Corporation is also widely known for their music program that began in the 1980s.
Yamaha has been a leader in the musical instrument industry. Yamaha electronic pianos continue to be a successful, popular and respected product. For example the Yamaha YPG-625 was given the award "Keyboard of the Year" and "Product of the Year" in 2007 from The Music and Sound Retailer magazine [4]. Also, the Yamaha YRS-24B recorder is the "most popular school recorder" used in classrooms. [5]
Other companies in the Yamaha group include:
- Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
- Yamaha Motor Company
- Yamaha Fine Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Yamaha Livingtec Corporation
- Yamaha Metanix Corporation
- Yamaha Pro Audio
[edit] References
- ^ "YAMAHA to Close Archery Products Business". 2002-02-01. http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2002/20020201.html. Retrieved on 2008-04-30.
- ^ Cancellation of Joint Venture Contracts for Sales Subsidiaries in U.K. and Spain, Yamaha Global website, July 10, 2007
- ^ Yamaha buys out Kemble family, MI Pro, July 10, 2007
- ^ Competition For Bosendorfer.[1]
- ^ Yamaha Reaches Basic Agreement with Austrian Bank to Purchase All Shares of Bösendorfer, Yamaha Global website, December 20, 2007
- ^ Business Week. March 3, 2008. Bosendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH. [2]
[edit] Products
[edit] Sports teams
[edit] External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yamaha |
- Official website
- Yamaha Musician - Yamaha enthusiast keyboard site
- Yamaha Piano
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