Nespy Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Contact: Terry Lewis/Yamaha Corporation of America (714) 522-9011 (tlewis@yamaha.com) Release Date: February 7, 2007 YAMAHA TO CLOSE TWO U.S. MANUFACTURING FACILITIES BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America today announced it will close two facilities and consolidate its musical instrument manufacturing operations in Asia. The closures are part of a long-term plan to enhance Yamaha’s competitive position in an increasingly aggressive global musical products market. The facilities, Yamaha Music Manufacturing, Inc. (YMM) in Thomaston, Georgia, and Yamaha Musical Products, Inc. (YMP) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will cease operations March 30 and April 27, 2007, respectively. These factories currently manufacture Yamaha’s renowned line of acoustic pianos, professional audio speakers and woodwind, brasswind and percussion musical instruments. Mr. Yoshihiro Doi, president, Yamaha Corporation of America made the announcement to all employees and to those directly affected, with sadness and regret. “We have worked long and hard together here in the U.S. to manufacture the world’s finest musical instruments. I am proud of our people and their achievements, and I deeply appreciate their commitment and loyalty to Yamaha,” said Doi. “I am equally grateful for the support of the local communities in which these plants have thrived for a combined sixty years of commitment here in the United States.” “We must take this action in light of market realities and new, fierce international competition,” he added. The closings will affect approximately 380 employees in the two locations. The company will provide the employees with a comprehensive separation package. Yamaha will move its manufacturing operations to existing company-owned overseas facilities but remains committed to marketing and to continuing its traditional high level of service support to its products in the United States. Also, as part of this restructuring, Yamaha Exporting, Inc. (YEI) will be integrated into an exporting department of Yamaha’s Operations Division, effective April 1, and the Band & Orchestral Custom Shop and parts will be relocated to Yamaha Corporation of America headquarters in Buena Park, California. YMP and YMM finished goods and warranty services will be relocated to other locations to be disclosed at a later date. Mr. Doi says the musical products industry, especially in traditional instruments such as pianos, wind and percussion instruments, has become increasingly challenging due to the emergence of new, aggressive global competition, notably from manufacturers based in China. Additionally, many established competitors based in the U.S. have already shifted large portions or, in some cases, their entire production to sources outside the U.S. The closures, he said, are being made with extreme reluctance, but are necessary to ensure Yamaha’s and its retailers’ competitiveness and continued growth in the musical products marketplace. -END- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nespy Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Pressure the corps you support to buy American....like Kanstul...like BUGLES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGCpimpOtimp Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Oh man, this means it's going to take even LONGER for Yamaha corps to get parts that they order. Which, in my opinion, is the only thing wrong with Yamaha products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievel Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I thought the Grand Rapids plant had shut down a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madscout96 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Well this is just what Michigan needed. Even more jobs leaving the state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwan2know Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Expect the "fit and finish" of Yamaha products to decline. Musical instruments is one area where the difference between American manufacturing and foreign is clear and noticable. Even some of the legendary instrument makers in europe are notorious for their poor manufacturing standards. A friend of mine was purchasing a Buffet clarinet and had them send her five examples so she could pick the best one and make sure she didn't get a lemon. A couple of those horns were complete junk, straight from the factory. Leaks, poor fits. Screws missing or not tightened down...it was shocking. When you go from a plant staffed largely with trained musicians who have been working there for a decade or more to one staffed by poorly trained workers who were making sneakers for Nike last week, quality suffers. Look at the difference between the horns manufactured for Dynasty by Willson as opposed to the ones made in their plant in South America. It's night and day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzycat1 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 (edited) Pressure the corps you support to buy American....like Kanstul...like BUGLES. OK for brass I guess - I don't have a clue but its a fact that Yamaha makes superior marching percussion instruments. Nothing made in the USA compares. Not even close. Too bad Ludwig couldn't improve the quality of their marching percussion line as well - then corps wouldn't have to use any foreign made instruments. Edited February 8, 2007 by Jazzycat1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn craig Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Well this is just what Michigan needed. Even more jobs leaving the state. That was one of my first thoughts. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellodramatic Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I blame Bush! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktarrantkeele Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 "Expect the "fit and finish" of Yamaha products to decline. Musical instruments is one area where the difference between American manufacturing and foreign is clear and noticable. Even some of the legendary instrument makers in europe are n notorious for their poor manufacturing standards. A friend of mine..." I'd be careful before tarnishing an entire group of "foreign" nations based on isolated examples. Just my 2 pence (not cents - I'm a foreigner!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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