What Yamamoto does

Yamamoto Seisakusho Co., Ltd. is a Japanese private manufacturer founded in 1918 in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, with current headquarters and main factory in Higashine, Yamagata. The company operates four product divisions: agricultural machinery (notably AI-equipped grain dryers under the Windy brand), rice processing equipment (commercial rice mills, dry-type rice polishers, sorting systems), environmental recycling machines (foam polystyrene compactors, PET bottle label separators, and the Purashiru near-infrared plastic identification device), and wood pellet stoves (Honoka, OU, Zen, Hinata models). Its flagship technology is the industry-first AI-equipped grain dryer launched in 2018, which uses a self-learning algorithm to optimize drying cycles and pairs with YCAS, a remote monitoring platform that streams operational data, moisture readings, and video feeds to smartphones and PCs.

The company employs approximately 300 staff and sells primarily through a nationwide network of authorized agricultural machinery dealers, JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperative) sales channels, and dedicated pellet stove dealers. Revenue is generated almost entirely from hardware sales of capital equipment, supplemented by after-sales service contracts and direct project-based sales for large rice processing plant installations. International distribution is nascent but expanding: U.S. Western Multitech covers California, Nevada, and Arizona (announced April 2026), and Midwest Laundries Inc. covers greater Chicagoland and Southern Wisconsin (announced March 2026), both focused on commercial laundry equipment rather than the core agricultural line. Customer concentration is diffuse across individual farmers, rice processing centers, and recycling operators; pricing is largely opaque and negotiated on a per-project basis.

Strategically, Yamamoto positions itself as a sustainability-oriented regional manufacturer addressing three structurally growing pain points: Japan's aging farm labor force (automation via AI dryers and YCAS), Japan's plastic recycling mandates (Purashiru, foam polystyrene compactors), and rural decarbonization (wood pellet stoves). The company is government-recognized as a Regional Future Driver Enterprise, has maintained a 99%+ recycling / zero-landfill target since 2009, and operates approximately 1.9 MW of on-site solar generation. It is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, suggesting founder/management ownership of a 100+ year operating business.

Name

Yamamoto

Legal name

株式会社山本製作所

Website

https://yamamoto-ss.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Yamamoto Seisakusho is a 100+ year Japanese private manufacturer of AI-equipped grain dryers, rice processing systems, plastic recycling equipment, and wood pellet stoves, serving farmers, JA cooperatives, recycling firms, and heating consumers primarily through domestic dealer networks and emerging U.S. distribution partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Machinery

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Drying & Dehydration Equipment (Grain Dryers, Fruit/Vegetable Dryers) (AFAAAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Waste Handling & Compaction Equipment (Balers, Compactors) (IMAHALAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural machinery
• Rice processing equipment
• Grain drying systems
• Plastic recycling machines
• Wood pellet stoves

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashine

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Agricultural and Industrial Machinery Sales: Sale of grain dryers, rice processing equipment, agricultural machinery, plastic recycling machines (foam polystyrene volume reducers, bottle label separators, etc.), and wood pellet stoves. Products are sold through dealers, distributors, and direct sales.
2. After-Sales Service and Support: Ongoing service contracts, installation support, and maintenance services through distributor networks and direct service teams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yamamoto develops and manufactures agricultural machinery (including AI-equipped grain dryers under the Windy brand), complete rice processing equipment lines (rice mills, color sorters, polishers, packaging), plastic recycling equipment (foam polystyrene compactors, PET bottle label separators, near-infrared plastic identification devices), and wood pellet stoves for residential and commercial heating. Founded in 1918 in Yamagata Prefecture, the company sells through authorized agricultural machinery dealers, JA cooperatives, dedicated pellet stove dealers, and regional distribution partners in the U.S.

Product overview

Yamamoto is a comprehensive manufacturing company offering agricultural equipment, rice processing machinery, environmental recycling machines, and wood pellet stoves. The core product lines include: (1) AI-equipped grain dryers under the Windy brand (Windy, Windy Build, Windy Next, Windy Multi) for rice and cereal drying with remote monitoring via YCAS; (2) Complete rice processing equipment including commercial rice mills, water-free rice units, sorting machines, color sorters, metal detectors, and packaging systems; (3) Environmental recycling equipment including foam polystyrene compactors (Hymerter series), PET bottle recycling machines (label separators, pre-processors), mixed container sorters, plastic material identification devices (Purashiru series), granulation compactors, bag breakers, and vertical conveyors; (4) Wood pellet stoves for residential and commercial heating including Honoka, OU, Zen, and Hinata models. The company operates as a unified product portfolio where agricultural and rice processing equipment serve the food supply chain, while environmental and pellet stove divisions address sustainability and energy needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 精米機器事業部 (Rice Processing Equipment Division): Brand for rice processing equipment including commercial rice mills, whitened rice selection machines, color sorters, and complete rice milling factory solutions
• 穀物乾燥機 Windy
• 木質ペレットストーブ
• 環境機器事業部 (Environmental Equipment Division)
• ぷらしる (Purasiru)
• スタアデポ (Sta Depo)

Products and services

• Windy Series Grain Dryers AI-equipped and standard grain drying systems for rice and cereals, using far-infrared ray drying technology with automatic moisture control. Designed for rice centers, agricultural cooperatives, and individual farmers handling paddy and grain post-harvest processing.
• Rice Processing Equipment Line End-to-end rice processing equipment line including commercial rice mills, water-free (dry-type) rice polishers, color sorters, whitened rice selection machines, material handling equipment, dust collection, and packaging systems. Targeted at rice processing plants, rice centers, and commercial millers.
• Purashiru Plastic Material Identification Devices Handheld and specialized plastic material identification devices using near-infrared spectroscopy. Consists of sensor unit with built-in reading sensor and tablet displaying identification results. Enables easy plastic material sorting at recycling sites and material recovery facilities.
• Foam Polystyrene Compactor Series (Melters) Melters that heat and compress foam polystyrene (styrofoam) waste into ingots for recycling and volume reduction. Used by waste processing companies, supermarkets, and recycling facilities to reduce disposal costs.
• PET Bottle Label Separator Series (PLS) Automated equipment for removing labels and caps from PET bottles as part of recycling pre-processing. Available in PLS-2000 and high-capacity PLS-5000 (500kg/hour) models. Targeted at waste processing companies and recycling facilities.
• Mixed Container Sorter MBS-3000 Sorting machine for mixed containers including PET bottles, cans, and bottles to facilitate recycling and material recovery at waste processing facilities.
• Wood Pellet Stoves (Honoka, OU, Zen, Hinata) Wood pellet-fired heating stoves for residential and commercial heating. Models include Honoka (PS-631F, up to 23 tatami, 8 colors), OU (PS-501FC, cast iron minimalist design, 2019 Good Design Award winner), Zen (PS-642FCZ, premium Ken Okuyama-designed model, up to 26 tatami), and Hinata (PS-1312F, large-capacity up to 50 tatami for offices and classrooms). Includes an underfloor Honoka variant (PS-631FOM) for floor-supplementary heating.
• Granulation Compactor FG-501BW (Grush Ace) Granulation compactor that processes plastic cushioning materials such as polyethylene bubble wrap and foam polyethylene sheets into bead form for recycling. Used by manufacturers to reduce industrial waste disposal costs.
• Star Depo Cumulative Mixing Drying Storage System Large-scale grain drying and storage equipment combining cumulative mixing, drying, and storage functions for rice centers and large agricultural operations. Outdoor installable without dedicated buildings.
• PET Bottle Pre-processor PBD-5000 Pre-processing equipment that prepares PET bottles for downstream recycling steps. Targeted at PET bottle recycling lines in waste processing plants.
• Rice Center Design and Construction Service Direct project-based service for rice processing plant (rice center) design, construction, equipment procurement, installation, and ongoing maintenance, providing turnkey facility solutions to rice cooperatives and large rice processors.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI dryer reduces lamp oil consumption by up to 15% and electricity by up to 35% compared to previous models
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Western MultitechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 April 2026Distribution partnership for Western U.S. markets. U.S. Western Multitech, headquartered in Anaheim, California, represents Yamamoto product lines including WUN washer/extractors, WUD combination units, and VUG dryer series across California, Nevada, and Arizona with primary focus on Southern California. The agreement aims to improve market penetration, strengthen service responsiveness, and increase equipment availability through a knowledgeable local partner with established expertise in the West Coast laundry market.
• Midwest Laundries Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 March 2026Primary distributor partnership for greater Chicagoland market and Southern Wisconsin regions. Midwest Laundries Inc. represents the full Yamamoto product portfolio including washer-extractors, combination units, and dryers. Positions Midwest Laundries as a full-service local distributor handling site visits, planning, equipment procurement, leasing, installation, and ongoing service contracts.
• KEN OKUYAMA DESIGNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign supervision partnership for pellet stove model '禅 (Zen)' by world-renowned industrial designer Ken Okuyama. Design collaboration adds aesthetic and brand value to the Zen pellet stove product line.
• 株式会社やまがた新電力 (Yamagata Shinden Power)minorOthersLocal power company receiving solar electricity generated at Yamamoto's facilities for local energy 'production and supply' (地産地消) and supply base goals in Yamagata Prefecture.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shizuoka Seiki Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer specializing in grain dryers and post-harvest agricultural equipment. Closest direct competitor to Yamamoto's Windy Series grain dryers, with similar customer profile of Japanese rice farmers and cooperatives.
• Satake Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of rice milling, grain processing, and optical sorting equipment. Most direct comparable to Yamamoto's rice processing equipment division and grain-handling product lines, with overlapping customer base of rice centers and food processors in Japan and across Asia.
• Anzai Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of grain dryers and rice processing equipment. Most direct head-to-head competitor in the Japanese on-farm and rice-center drying market, with comparable product portfolio and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Yanmar Holdings: Japanese diversified manufacturer of agricultural machinery, engines, and marine equipment. Overlaps with Yamamoto in rice cultivation equipment and small-scale agricultural automation, with broader portfolio and stronger dealer network across Asia.
• TOMRA Systems ASA: Global leader in sensor-based sorting and recycling technology, including plastic and material identification using near-infrared spectroscopy. Comparable to Yamamoto's Purashiru plastic identification device, but operating globally at far greater scale with much broader application set.
• Bühler Group: Swiss-based global leader in grain processing, rice milling, and optical sorting equipment. Comparable to Yamamoto's rice processing equipment division in technology and end-customer profile (industrial rice/flour processors), but operating at substantially greater global scale.
• Iseki & Co., Ltd. Japanese agricultural machinery maker specializing in tractors, combines, and rice cultivation equipment. Competes with Yamamoto in Japanese farm equipment channels and has comparable brand heritage but broader product range and scale.
• Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd. Japanese joint venture between Mitsubishi and Mahindra, manufacturing tractors, combines, and rice cultivation machinery. Overlaps with Yamamoto's agricultural machinery lines in Japan, with substantially broader product portfolio and stronger dealer network.
• Kubota Corporation: One of Japan's largest agricultural machinery manufacturers, with broad product lines in tractors, combines, and post-harvest equipment. Competes with Yamamoto in the broader Japanese ag-machinery market and has substantially greater scale and R&D resources to challenge the AI-dryer differentiation.

Emerging players

• GrainPro Inc. Specialized provider of post-harvest grain handling, drying, and storage solutions for emerging markets. Comparable to Yamamoto's grain dryer business at the smaller end, with focus on reducing post-harvest losses in developing Asian and African markets where Yamamoto also aspires to expand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yamamoto__ss
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_kpfAQXB5inTcUcfkOv68w
• Instagraminstagram.com/yamamoto.pelletstove
• Facebookfacebook.com/Yamamoto-CoLtd-151610684876674

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yamamoto