Buena Park-based musical instruments maker Yamaha Corporation of America is closing plants in Michigan and Georgia and is shuttering a local unit.
The company, part of Japan’s Yamaha Corp., plans to cut 380 jobs and move production to Asia.
Yamaha plans to close its plants in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Thomaston, Ga. It also is set to close its Yamaha Exporting Inc. unit in Buena Park.
All of the job cuts are coming in Michigan and Georgia. Five people from Yamaha Exporting are set to move to other jobs in Buena Park, according to a report on Advantage Business Media’s Manufacturing.net.
The plant closures are expected to cost Yamaha $11 million.
The Michigan plant makes wind instruments and had revenue of $30 million in 2006. It’s set to close at the end of April. Yamaha plans to step up wind instrument production at plants in China, Indonesia and Japan.
Some employees are set to move to Buena Park, according to a report in Michigan’s Grand Rapids Press. Yamaha is moving a research and development unit that works with musicians from Michigan to Buena Park.
The Georgia plant makes pianos and speakers with 2006 sales of $34 million. It’s set to close by March. Plants in China, Taiwan and Indonesia are set to take over production.
The export business counted $20 million in 2006 sales.
Yamaha does nearly $5 billion in yearly sales, including $800 million from the Buena Park unit. The company is the top U.S. music and sound company, according to Music Trades magazine.
