Yamaha announces transfer of snowmobile responsibilities to North American division
Yamaha Motor Co. has announced that additional snowmobile product line responsibilities will be transferred to the Yamaha North American Snowmobile Division, effective July 15, 2021.
The majority of functions handled by Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co., LTD. and its Research & Design Facility in Wisconsin will now be undertaken by Yamaha’s North American Snowmobile Division, offering further in-market calibration, maneuverability and efficiency.
According to the announcement, the objective is to streamline Yamaha’s snowmobile business operations and fully utilize the flexibility offered by technology and remote work. As the Wisconsin facility transitions, key personnel are invited to remain with the company, working remotely across the US and Canada as part of the North American Division.
“I’m proud of the progress the North American Snowmobile Division has made since our inception in 2014. Yamaha Motor Co., LTD. has witnessed our growth and is now entrusting us with the complete management of the global snowmobile business,” said Team Leader for the North American Snowmobile Division Peter Smallman-Tew in the announcement. “The last year and a half has shown that business can and will need to adapt to a remote working model. We will have the appropriate people in the right places – the hotbeds of the snowmobile market – to ensure our future success.”
When reached for comment by Powersports Business, Yamaha’s national marketing manager Bryan Hudgin said, “[There will be] no issues to our dealer network. To my knowledge none of them were connected to the Minocqua facility as it was working on pre-launch R&D projects and that would have been confidential.”
The Yamaha North American Snowmobile Division will continue working with OEM suppliers to invest in the snowmobile industry and explore opportunities to expand its presence in the supply of durable and reliable Yamaha power plants.
Yamaha is preparing for a busy and exciting 2021/22 season after a record-breaking Spring Power Surge early deposit program, and looks forward to the launch of the 2023 models.
