Yamaha Robotics SMT Section invited its European distributors to its headquarters in Hamamatsu, Japan for the 2025 Distributors Meeting, giving team-members the opportunity to visit the new facilities in the recently expanded factory and celebrate its 40th anniversary.
“With our anniversary and the recent significant new investment in R&D and manufacturing at Hamamatsu, we had two good reasons to invite our distribution network partners to Japan,” said Shuichi Imai, who joined Yamaha Robotics’ European team as SMT Section Sales General Manager in 2024. “The visit also showed the progress made in sustainability, such as our adoption of green steel in equipment manufacturing and new waste-reduction and recycling strategies.”
The delegates saw how the investment has approximately doubled the production capacity for surface mounters, while extensive electrification combined with greater adoption of solar panels will make the site Yamaha’s first carbon-neutral factory. They also previewed upcoming surface-mount equipment innovations, including new printer, dispenser, mounter, and inspection features as well as the latest software updates.
The meeting concluded with the traditional awards ceremony, recognising the top performers in the European network. Prime Option, distributor for Ireland, received the Best Service award. Renex, which covers Poland, Romania and Slovenia, was awarded Most Valuable Distributor, and ProSMT of Türkiye received the Special Achievement award.
Concluding the event, Mr Imai said, “We are delighted at the total commitment we see from all our distribution partners, which continues to drive the business forward in Europe. I hope the time spent together, in Japan this year, has added a new energy to continue our mission.”
About Yamaha Robotics SMT Section
Yamaha Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Section, a subdivision of Yamaha Motor Robotics Business Unit in Yamaha Motor Corporation, produces a complete selection of equipment for high-speed inline electronic assembly. This 1 STOP SMART SOLUTION includes solder paste printers, component mounters, 3D solder paste inspection machines, 3D PCB inspection machines, dispensers, and management software.
Bringing the Yamaha way to electronics manufacturing, these systems prioritize intuitive operator interaction, efficient coordination between all inline processes, and modularity enabling users to meet the latest manufacturing demands. Group competencies in servo-motor control and image recognition for vision (camera) systems ensure extreme accuracy with high speed.
The current product line includes the latest YR equipment generation, with advanced automated features for programming, setup, and changeovers, and new YSUP management software with state-of-the-art graphics and built-in data analytics.
Combining design and engineering, manufacture, sales, and service competencies, Yamaha SMT Section ensures operational efficiency and easy access to support for customers and partners. With regional offices in Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Europe and North America, the company provides truly global presence.
