Yamaha pulling out of California after nearly half a century: HQ headed to Georgia

"In terms of efficiency, to have us all together in Georgia - all the functions of the business - it makes a lot of sense. The relocation won't happen overnight. Yamaha plans to start the exit in late 2026, with the transition stretching into 2028. The motorcycle and motorsports giant says the move is part of major structural reforms meant to boost profits as costs climb - including pressure from tariffs imposed during the administration of President Donald Trump and shifting market conditions."

"Yamaha's Japan-based parent, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., says it will also unload the company's sprawling 25-acre Katella Avenue campus - a major administrative hub handling finance and corporate operations tied to its motorsports lineup, including ATVs, golf carts, motorcycles and boats. The site doesn't manufacture products. Commercial brokerage Avison Young has been tapped to market the massive property, which spans nearly 279,000 square feet of office, industrial and flex-warehouse space across an entire city block."

"The departure marks another corporate blow for Cypress. Back in 2019, Mitsubishi Motors North America ditched its longtime HQ in the city after 31 years, moving roughly 200 jobs to Franklin, Tennessee to cut costs. Georgia isn't new territory for Yamaha. The company already shifted its marine division there in 1999 and moved its motorsports operations in 2019."

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA is relocating its headquarters from Cypress, California to Kennesaw, Georgia, a transition beginning in late 2026 and extending through 2028. The move impacts approximately 250 employees and represents major structural reforms aimed at improving profitability amid rising costs, tariff pressures, and shifting market conditions. The company will consolidate all business functions in Georgia for operational efficiency. Yamaha plans to sell its 25-acre Katella Avenue campus in Cypress, comprising nearly 279,000 square feet of office, industrial, and flex-warehouse space. This departure follows Mitsubishi Motors North America's 2019 relocation from Cypress to Tennessee. Georgia already hosts Yamaha's marine division since 1999 and motorsports operations since 2019, making the consolidation a natural extension of existing operations.

Read at California Post