Yamaha announced the creation of a Connected Marine Division to incorporate its connected business model into Yamaha Marine business units. The company also revealed plans for a new Marine Innovation Center in Kennesaw, Georgia, and a substantial expansion of its Bridgeport, Alabama test facility.
“The rapid evolution of Connected Boat® technology is changing the way our customers approach boating. We are developing innovative products that will deliver a more exceptional experience for Yamaha customers,” Team Yamaha.
Yamaha’s remarks at the Miami International Boat Show event follow its acquisition last December of ‘Siren Marine’ , a manufacturer of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions for marine applications.
“Yamaha is investing in the resources that will allow us to be the leader in connected technology,” said Ben Speciale, President of Yamaha’s US Marine Business Unit. “The rapid evolution of ‘Connected Boat’ technology is changing the way our customers approach boating. We are developing innovative products that will deliver a more exceptional experience for Yamaha customers.”
Yamaha’s new Connected Marine Division will include two departments. The Business Planning Department will lead the business planning aspect of the connected strategy, working directly with the Yamaha Marine Development teams and the Siren Marine team. They will support the short-term needs of Yamaha and Siren customers, as well as longer-term developments that will add more value to Yamaha’s connected products. The User Experience/Interface Department will help shape future connected consumer experiences. This team will work closely with the US Division of Marine Development and Planning, which now combines research and development related to Yamaha’s outboard motors and personal watercraft. Yamaha and Siren plan to introduce new jointly developed products to consumers in the next 12 to 24 months.
Andrew Cullen will become Connectivity Division Manager, leading Yamaha’s new Connected Marine Division. Previously Senior Manager of Digital Marketing and Communications for the Yamaha WaterCraft Group, Andrew is now responsible for all facets of the Connected Boat experience, including working with Yamaha’s internal product development teams and coordinating with Yamaha’s division. of Siren Marine, as well as the multidisciplinary work with the members of the team of Yamaha Motor Company of Japan. Andrew will report directly to Ben Speciale, President of Yamaha’s US Marine Business Unit. Jeffrey Poole, General Manager of Siren Marine, will also report to Ben.
The new Marine Innovation Center, a 75,280-square-foot facility near Yamaha Marine’s Kennesaw, Georgia headquarters, will house Yamaha’s Connected Marine Division, as well as the US Planning and Marine Development Division. Yamaha’s Connected Marine Division will include business planning, user experience, cloud/IoT infrastructure, product planning, data analytics, and sales and marketing charges. Yamaha’s US Planning and Marine Development Division will create a team that will include control engineers, perception engineers, product development engineers, project managers, hydrodynamic engineers and various software engineers.
Yamaha also plans to expand its Bridgeport, Alabama test facility by adding 5,900 square feet of office space and 8,000 square feet of boat storage space. The test facility will hire test technicians and systems engineers to accommodate growth.
Yamaha’s United States Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Georgia, markets and sells marine outboard motors ranging in size from 2.5 to 425 horsepower. And also markets and sells fiberglass jet-powered sports boats ranging from 19-27 feet, and personal watercraft. The unit includes the manufacturing divisions of Yamaha Marine Systems Co., Inc., including Kracor of Milwaukee (rotational molding), Bennett Marine of Deerfield Beach, Florida (trim tabs), and Yamaha Marine Precision Propellers of Indianapolis (stainless steel propellers). ). Yamaha Marine Group is a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA based in Cypress, California.
Headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, Siren Marine is an industry leader in smart boat technology, enabling boaters to stay connected to their boats anywhere, anytime. The company’s vision is to transform the modern boating experience and lead the way to a fully connected marine industry through innovative IoT Connected Boat® technology. Siren Marine offers safety, security and smart vessel monitoring so boaters can remotely track their vessel’s battery level, bilge activity, temperature, location and other indicators. Siren Marine also makes actionable data available to industry stakeholders (original equipment manufacturers, boat builders, electronic equipment manufacturers, digital switch manufacturers, and other marine businesses) connecting them to customers and their vessels like never before. Siren Marine is a subsidiary company of Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC), a subsidiary company of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.
