Yamaha taking over PetSmart building (Georgia)
Published 6/8/07 in The Times-Herald
By LATINA EMERSON
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America, located on Highway 34 East, is moving forward with expansion plans to relocate part of its operations into the former PetSmart building on Walt Sanders Memorial Drive.
PetSmart is opening a new distribution facility, also on Walt Sanders Memorial Drive, which has made the former PetSmart warehouse building available.
According to Philip Trickey, division manager of Finance and Administration at Yamaha, PetSmart will end production at the old facility today. He says the company has already started operations in the new building.
Yamaha is scheduled to acquire possession of the former PetSmart building at the beginning of July.
"The old PetSmart building is going to be our receiving and cross dock facility for inbound raw materials, both domestic and international," said Trickey. "All of our inbound goods will go there first for quality inspection and preparation for use in manufacturing," he said.
The parts will then be sent for manufacturing at Yamaha's headquarters facility on Highway 34 East, according to Trickey. Receiving, as well as exports, are currently done on-site at the Yamaha plant.
"Our current distribution center is going to be converted to an exports distribution center," said Trickey.
"Right now, we're trying to do that from our manufacturing line, and with our increase in exports business, it created logjams in manufacturing," he said. "It's really going to help smooth out operations."
The company will have some minor renovations to complete on the old PetSmart facility before moving in, said Trickey.
Yamaha presently has three buildings totaling approximately 900,000 square feet. The old PetSmart building will add another 200,000 square feet.
"I would expect we would start operations in late July or early August," he said.
Trickey attributes Yamaha's success to its exports worldwide. "The growth in our exports business is the driving force behind the expansion," said Trickey. According to Trickey, business has grown substantially over the past five years and continues to grow.
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America exports golf carts, the WaveRunner brand of personal water sport vehicles, and a line of all-terrain four wheeler vehicles.
Trickey said the Yamaha location in Coweta County is the only company throughout the world to manufacture the WaveRunners, though other companies make a similar product.
The company manufactures the Rhino ATV, regular ATVs, and the majority of the two-seater golf carts. Trickey said there are two competitors in Georgia that also manufacture golf carts. A Yamaha company in Japan makes five-seater golf carts, which are not used in North America.
"We just last week celebrated our two millionth unit since this company was founded in 1987," said Trickey. The company shipped 220,000 units in the past year. "This will be our first year over 200,000," said Trickey.
The local manufacturer does not make items such as pianos. These items are manufactured by Yamaha Music Company, which is a separate company, said Trickey.
Yamaha has been considering an expansion for several years, said Trickey.
"Originally, we were looking at an industrial park in Sharpsburg as a possible addition site," said Trickey. "But we lucked into the PetSmart facility becoming available, literally in our back yard. Our property lines touch. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up," he said.
"It's always an excitement to grow. That's why we're here," said Rufus McMillan, vice president of operations. McMillan oversees the logistics and functions of all product lines.
The Yamaha expansion project will require an internal shift but will not produce a need for new hires. In the future, Trickey predicts the expansion might require a few new employees.
The company currently has 1,500 employees. Approximately 1,200 employees work in assembly and distribution.
Trickey spoke of Yamaha's impact on Coweta County. "There's a lot of things that went into it. But if you looked at what this area was like before Yamaha came here, it was a very undeveloped, rural area. Yamaha came and has brought many other businesses to Coweta County," he said.
"We've employed over 1,000 people, so I think we've had a strong, positive impact on the county," said Trickey. The company has also generated business for other corporations, he explained.
Many factories in Creekside Industrial Park, such as Maxxis and TSY America Inc., are suppliers to Yamaha. For instance, Maxxis manufactures tires for the international company.
According to Trickey, additional local companies perform services for Yamaha. Also, the company drew other types of services to the county that service Yamaha employees, he said.
"We purchase parts from many local vendors in Georgia and the Carolinas. We do a lot of business with people that has generated additional jobs, not only in Coweta County, but in Georgia and the southeast."
Article Reference: Coweta County | 6/8/07 Yamaha taking over PetSmart building
By LATINA EMERSON
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America, located on Highway 34 East, is moving forward with expansion plans to relocate part of its operations into the former PetSmart building on Walt Sanders Memorial Drive.
PetSmart is opening a new distribution facility, also on Walt Sanders Memorial Drive, which has made the former PetSmart warehouse building available.
According to Philip Trickey, division manager of Finance and Administration at Yamaha, PetSmart will end production at the old facility today. He says the company has already started operations in the new building.
Yamaha is scheduled to acquire possession of the former PetSmart building at the beginning of July.
"The old PetSmart building is going to be our receiving and cross dock facility for inbound raw materials, both domestic and international," said Trickey. "All of our inbound goods will go there first for quality inspection and preparation for use in manufacturing," he said.
The parts will then be sent for manufacturing at Yamaha's headquarters facility on Highway 34 East, according to Trickey. Receiving, as well as exports, are currently done on-site at the Yamaha plant.
"Our current distribution center is going to be converted to an exports distribution center," said Trickey.
"Right now, we're trying to do that from our manufacturing line, and with our increase in exports business, it created logjams in manufacturing," he said. "It's really going to help smooth out operations."
The company will have some minor renovations to complete on the old PetSmart facility before moving in, said Trickey.
Yamaha presently has three buildings totaling approximately 900,000 square feet. The old PetSmart building will add another 200,000 square feet.
"I would expect we would start operations in late July or early August," he said.
Trickey attributes Yamaha's success to its exports worldwide. "The growth in our exports business is the driving force behind the expansion," said Trickey. According to Trickey, business has grown substantially over the past five years and continues to grow.
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America exports golf carts, the WaveRunner brand of personal water sport vehicles, and a line of all-terrain four wheeler vehicles.
Trickey said the Yamaha location in Coweta County is the only company throughout the world to manufacture the WaveRunners, though other companies make a similar product.
The company manufactures the Rhino ATV, regular ATVs, and the majority of the two-seater golf carts. Trickey said there are two competitors in Georgia that also manufacture golf carts. A Yamaha company in Japan makes five-seater golf carts, which are not used in North America.
"We just last week celebrated our two millionth unit since this company was founded in 1987," said Trickey. The company shipped 220,000 units in the past year. "This will be our first year over 200,000," said Trickey.
The local manufacturer does not make items such as pianos. These items are manufactured by Yamaha Music Company, which is a separate company, said Trickey.
Yamaha has been considering an expansion for several years, said Trickey.
"Originally, we were looking at an industrial park in Sharpsburg as a possible addition site," said Trickey. "But we lucked into the PetSmart facility becoming available, literally in our back yard. Our property lines touch. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up," he said.
"It's always an excitement to grow. That's why we're here," said Rufus McMillan, vice president of operations. McMillan oversees the logistics and functions of all product lines.
The Yamaha expansion project will require an internal shift but will not produce a need for new hires. In the future, Trickey predicts the expansion might require a few new employees.
The company currently has 1,500 employees. Approximately 1,200 employees work in assembly and distribution.
Trickey spoke of Yamaha's impact on Coweta County. "There's a lot of things that went into it. But if you looked at what this area was like before Yamaha came here, it was a very undeveloped, rural area. Yamaha came and has brought many other businesses to Coweta County," he said.
"We've employed over 1,000 people, so I think we've had a strong, positive impact on the county," said Trickey. The company has also generated business for other corporations, he explained.
Many factories in Creekside Industrial Park, such as Maxxis and TSY America Inc., are suppliers to Yamaha. For instance, Maxxis manufactures tires for the international company.
According to Trickey, additional local companies perform services for Yamaha. Also, the company drew other types of services to the county that service Yamaha employees, he said.
"We purchase parts from many local vendors in Georgia and the Carolinas. We do a lot of business with people that has generated additional jobs, not only in Coweta County, but in Georgia and the southeast."
Article Reference: Coweta County | 6/8/07 Yamaha taking over PetSmart building
