A place to grow! It is with this motto that Yamaha Music Central Europe GmbH (YMCE) has inaugurated its newly built distribution centre for Central and Eastern Europe in Rellingen near Hamburg on 2nd March 2007 at noon. The investment in the new modern centre is a clear sign of Yamaha’s confidence in Germany as a business location. Before an audience of around 200 invited guests, speakers included the Minister of Schleswig-Holstein for Science, the Economy and Transportation and the President of the German Music Council.

Helge Reimer, Martin Maria Krüger, Katsuhiko Kishida, Yasuaki Gyoten, Dietrich Austermann, Masato Oike, Thomas Schöpe (from left to right) officially open the new office building.

Hard on the heels of last year’s events celebrating 40 years of Yamaha in Europe and the distribution centre in Rellingen, 2007 sees the opening of a new chapter in the company’s history. The new building safeguards the future of the Rellingen site. As the headquarter for countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe, Rellingen will also play a key role in the continued promotion of cultural music structures in these countries.

The largest maker of musical instruments in the world had been congratulated at this special event by political representatives, prominent business figures and members of the arts world. Speakers included Dietrich Austermann (Minister of Schleswig-Holstein for Science, the Economy and Transportation), Martin Maria Krüger (President of the German Music Council), Yasuaki Gyoten (Managing Director of Yamaha Music Central Europe GmbH), Katsuhiko Kishida (Chairman of Yamaha Corporation) and Helge Reimer (architect behind the project).

The new Sales Distribution Center of Yamaha Music Central Europe GmbH in Rellingen near Hamburg.

Music at this celebratory event was provided by the BläserKlasse of the Europaschule Gymnasium Heide-Ost school and by the young and successful pianist, Ayako Uehara (26). In 2002, as well as being awarded a host of other prizes, she also became the first and, to date, only woman to win the renowned Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Ayako began her musical instruction at the Yamaha Music School at the age of three.