Mind Your Business: YAMAHA

Yamaha Corporation came into being on October 1, 1987 after its predecessor Nippon Gakki Company Li

mited changed its official name. That change marked the anniversary of the day that Torakusu Yamaha (April 20 1851 – August 8 1916) established his business, prompted by his repair of a reed organ. Our trademark, "Yamaha" has its origins in the name of our founder. Torakusu Yamaha was born a retainer of the Tokugawa family in the Kishu region (currently Wakayama prefecture), the third son of astronomer Kounosuke Yamaha. After a childhood spent playing with the tools and instruments of his father while watching him work Torakusu was fascinated by machinery. Proving skilled with his hands he went on to study watch-making in Nagasaki. While there he turned his hand to medical appliances, and in 1884 began visiting hospitals in Hamamatsu to repair medical equipment. In 1887 Torakusu was successful in repairing a reed organ at Hamamatsu's Jinjo elementary school (currently Motoshiro Elementary school), and in 1889 established Yamaha Organ Works as a limited partnership in Hamamatsu. He went on to found Nippon Gakki Company Limited on October 12 1897, becoming the first president of the company.
Since its founding in 1887, the Yamaha Group has developed its business activities focusing on musical instruments, audio-visual products, Yamaha music schools and other products and services related to sound and music.
The company had not only gone on to manufacture Japan's first piano, it had also gained recognition abroad with a Yamaha piano and organ being awarded an Honorary Grand Prize at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Yamaha has grown to become one of the best-loved manufacturers of musical instruments in the world. And as it has grown, the company has capitalized on its unique heritage of artisanship and technological know-how to diversify into an astoundingly wide range of products and services. Today, Yamaha is a leader in businesses ranging from musical instruments and audio & video products to products related to information technology, new media services, home furnishings, auto components, specialty metals, music education and resort facilities. Yet, true to our musical origins, no matter what business we take on, or what country we do business in -- we seek to remain perfectly attuned to the set of shared values that define the World of Yamaha.

CORPORATE PROFILE

Company Name: Yamaha Corporation
Headquarters: 10-1, Nakazawa-cho, Naka-ku,Hamamatsu Shizuoka 430-8650, Japan
Founded and Incorporated: October 12, 1897
Paid-in Capital: 28,534 million yen
Annual Sales: 459,284 million yen (April 2008 - March 2009)
Number Of Employees around the World – 20068
Number of Subsidiary companies - 106 (of which 88 are consolidated companies)
Number of affiliated companies - 12(Covered by consolidation: 2 *accounted for by equity method)·DAOYAR·YMH Digital Music Publishing
Number of patents and utility models held: 5,600 domestic4,100 international, including 2,100 in USA (As