Two suppliers, Yamaha Corp. of America and Loud Technologies, are restructuring their sales and marketing departments to streamline operations in 2009.

Loud Shake-Up
Loud Technologies’ product strategy, development and marketing for its MI and pro businesses will be managed by separate product management teams. Marketing communications for all Loud brands will be consolidated and managed by a shared marketing support team. Loud will also move North American sales from its current captive sales force to a group of independent sales rep firms and consolidate its international sales force.

The restructuring will generate a net reduction of 90 full-time positions at the end of 2008.

Yamaha Aligns
Yamaha Corp. of America has also announced a major realignment of the company’s core marketing and sales structure, designed to increase corporate efficiency and provide greater customer service, while addressing a changing market.

As part of its realignment, Yamaha has, for the first time, aligned all keyboard marketing in one cohesive organization throughout the United States. This initiative brings together the entire line of acoustic, Disklavier and Clavinova digital pianos, in addition to portable keyboards and digital pianos traditionally sold through the company’s Pro Audio & Combo division.

The realignment will take effect on April 1, 2009, and according to a statement from the company, it will not affect employment at Yamaha. MI

loudtechinc.com; yamaha.com