Yamaha has released a statement clarifying its industrial relationship with CFMoto, specifying the purpose of the relationship.
Yamaha's statement confirms that the partnership between the two brands is strictly for the manufacture of vehicles in China for the Chinese market, at least for now.
The Yamaha statement reads as below.
"Following up the Yamaha Motor - CFMoto joint venture announced on September 15th by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Yamaha Motor would like to clarify that the collaboration solely consists of an industrial cooperation to manufacture vehicles in China, for the Chinese market.
"Yamaha Motor has positioned China as one of its important production and sales bases, and this joint venture is premised on the acquisition of the clearances, permits, etc., required by competition laws and other laws and regulations.
"Beyond that, Yamaha Motor will continue to discuss the direction of the joint venture with CFMOTO going forward with the aim of further raising competitiveness, but no other cooperations are at present in place.
Yamaha enters partnership with CFMoto
Since 1992 Yamaha has utilised Jianche to manufacture some of its models in China, although that is now changing as a joint venture with CFMoto has now been agreed.
A press release announced by CFMoto confirmed the news, with only regulatory checks to now be carried out.
The partnership will officially begin in November and will be called Zhuzhou CF Yamaha Motor C., LTD. (ZCYM). The release states it will have 500 employees, and that the shareholders will be CFMoto (50 per cent share), Yamaha Motor (44.23 per cent share), and Tair Lea LTD (5.77 per cent share). It also confirms the base of the joint venture will be Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province China, and that its primary business is, unsurprisingly, the ‘Production and sale of motorcycles’.
The full press release reads:
‘CFMOTO and Yamaha have reached an agreement to have a joint venture in Zhuzhou China. The name of the new business will be ZHUZHOU CF YAMAHA MOTOR
CO., LTD. (ZCYM).
‘This joint venture is premised on the acquisition of the clearances, permits, etc., required by competition laws and other laws and regulations. CFMOTO and Yamaha will continue to discuss the direction of the joint venture with the aim of further raising competitiveness.’
Jianche specialised in low-capacity 125cc motorcycles and scooters, and this was shown in the models the company created as part of its agreement with Yamaha. It’s not clear yet whether Yamaha joining forces with CFMoto will mean its Chinese manufacturing operation will work on more than just small-capacity bikes.
It’s also highly possible that at some point down the line, Yamaha could shift some of its ATV and side-by-side ATV production to CFMoto in one form or another, seeing as that’s an area of the industry that the Chinese brand is already highly experienced in.
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