Yamaha Motor Establishes a New Company for Medium and Large Pleasure Boat Sales Integrates sales and service functions for medium and large boats, imported boats, and used boats.

Yamaha Motor Marketing Japan Co., Ltd., a Japanese sales subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., will establish a new company on April 1, 2003. In addition to selling medium and large (7 m and larger) pleasure boats, the new venture will also offer integrated sales and service functions for imported boats and used boats.
The new company is being created by combining Y’s Marine Co., Ltd. (head office: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative: Takeshi Kataoka), a Yamaha Motor subsidiary for imported and used boat sales, with certain functions of Yamaha Motor Marketing Japan Co., Ltd., which retails and services new medium and large pleasure boats.

Named Yamaha Boating System Co., Ltd. (YBS), the new company inherits the capital of Y’s Marine, which will be the surviving company. Yamaha Motor will hold 43.9% of shares, while Yamaha Motor Marketing Japan will have a 56.1% interest in YBS.
There will be 31 employees on staff in the first year, and the head office will be located in Yokohama, with sales bases in Yokohama and Osaka. YBS will handle medium and large Yamaha boats, together with imported boats including “Hatteras,” “Viking” and “Carver” models, and used boats. YBS aims to achieve sales of 3,600 million yen, including sales from the service operation, in the first year (fiscal 2003).

The major objective of YBS is to stimulate demand for marine products in the greater Tokyo and Osaka areas. The company combines Yamaha Motor’s medium and large boat marketing know-how with Y’s Marine’s expertise in imported and used boats to quickly meet diverse customer needs and provide higher-quality service.
Compared with smaller boats, sales and servicing of medium and large boats require highly specialized knowledge in a wide range of areas. Therefore, by focusing on establishing an effective system for selling and servicing medium and large boats, YBS aims to increase its loyal lifetime customers.

Due to the prolonged economic recession in Japan, the marine leisure market is experiencing a decline in demand. Against this backdrop, Yamaha Motor is working to revitalize the market. In addition to enhancing the “hardware” aspect by establishing a new company, among other measures, Yamaha Motor also is strengthening the “software” side of the business by creating systems that respond to diverse needs with pinpoint precision, by, for example, enhancing information provision service through “Yamaha Marine Advisers” and offering interior and exterior customization systems.