Yanmar CE Creates AOLA Region and Appoints Naoki Maehara as President

Yanmar Compact Equipment (Yanmar CE) has announced the creation of the new Asia, Oceania and Latin America (AOLA) region as part of its strategy to capture the growth potential in these markets.

Effective October 1, Naoki Maehara, a senior executive with more than 20 years of experience at Yanmar, will be responsible for leading the AOLA region. Maehara, who has held positions in divisions such as Marine, Agriculture, Construction and Yanmar Holdings headquarters, and most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer for Yanmar CE, will be responsible for implementing the company’s strategic vision and driving growth in key markets.

According to Yanmar, the creation of the new region and the appointment of Maehara as president reflect the company’s interest in expanding its presence in economies with high growth potential. The AOLA region currently covers 26 countries, including major markets such as India, China, Brazil, Indonesia and Australia, with a combined population of over 2 billion people. Yanmar sees growth opportunities for its compact equipment sales in these countries, driven by factors such as urbanization and industrial development, as well as increasing automation of work in the construction, utilities and demolition sectors.

According to Maehara, customers in these countries have specific needs, such as the demand for durable and competitively priced equipment, in contrast to the demands of more developed markets, such as Japan, Europe and the United States.

Sales and support strategy

Yanmar CE said its growth objectives for the AOLA region include developing a market-appropriate product portfolio, strengthening its distribution network and organizational growth. Maehara highlighted the need to launch competitively priced and durable products that meet the needs of developing countries. In addition, the company plans to strengthen its customer support and after-sales network to maintain long-term relationships with its customers.

Yanmar CE plans to leverage its presence in countries such as Brazil, South Korea and New Zealand, while seeking to expand its presence in markets such as Thailand and India.

Yanmar said the AOLA region will be an important component of its global leadership strategy in the compact equipment market. By offering suitable products and strengthening its distribution network, the company aims to expand its market share in these diverse and growing markets.