Federal, state and local officials joined together with YANMAR America and its honored guests on November 16, 2016 to officially break ground on the new YANMAR America Training and Experience Center located in Acworth, Ga.
“Customer service is a top priority for our company,” said Kengo Shibata, General Manager of the Global Customer Support Division with YANMAR Co., Ltd. in reference to the need for the new facility during his speech to those in attendance at the ceremony.
YANMAR America has invested $20 million to acquire the 50-plus acres of land in Cherokee County to build its new 50,000 square foot facility, which will feature advanced hands-on training spaces for each of the business’ product lines, office space, classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium and museum. Outside, YANMAR will be able to provide hands-on demonstrations of its products, including attachments, to customers and dealers, as well as have the opportunity to capture the voice of the customer.
Croft Architects and Engineers based in Kennesaw, Ga., and Carroll Daniel Construction from Gainesville, Ga. will work together to complete the center by Fall 2017.
“This new facility is so much more than just about products and training; we want to give our dealers and customers the tools they need for success, while also looking for our opportunities to support and engage with our local community,” commented Tim Fernandez, President of YANMAR America in the opening remarks.
Plans for the facility include not only product and technical training, but also business management training, marketing and event training, collaborative training courses with strategic business partners and more. The company also plans to work with local high schools and colleges on courses for their students, industry partners on local events and clinics, regulatory bodies for safety and operational courses and the local community for events such as farmer’s markets, association meetings and other special events.
“We are thrilled to have YANMAR investing in Cherokee. From the first visit, it was obvious that we shared a vision for growing the YANMAR and Cherokee brands, and that we are both committed to community and sustainability,” said president of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, Misti Martin. “When we were walking the site and discussing the plan for this project, we agreed that there couldn’t be a more perfect fit.”