Yamaha ’05 Target: 15% Growth in Cycle Sales
Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. says it plans to spend 210 billion yen ($2.05 billion) on capital investment over the next three years – 60% more than the previous three-year period – and said it expects total sales to rise 27% to Y1.45 trillion in 2007, from an estimated Y1.14 trillion in 2004.
For 2005, global shipments of motorcycles are expected to grow nearly 15% to 3.62 million units. The company shipped 3.16 million units in 2004.
Yamaha says it forecasts sales in North America to rise 5.6% to 208,000 motorcycles, and says sales in Europe are expected to rise 2.9% to 420,000 units. The company says plans call for immediate expansion in Southeast Asia, China, India and Russia.
In related news, the company it would combine four distribution centers in Japan into one to cut costs and speed up the supply of spare parts to its global dealerships, including retailers in the United States.
Yamaha celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2005.
