Yamaha cuts 100 jobs in Newnan as it drops side-by-side vehicles for ATVs and watercraft

Yamaha is ending side-by-side recreational vehicle production at its Newnan, Georgia plant effective August 4, eliminating about 100 full-time jobs as the company shifts toward ATVs, golf cars, and personal watercraft instead.

The company says it is not leaving Coweta County. The Newnan facility — Yamaha's largest U.S. manufacturing site — will see its workforce reduced, according to reporting by The Citizen.

To support the shift, Yamaha plans a $4 million investment in new layouts, equipment, and upgrades aimed at increasing ATV output on dedicated lines, according to reporting by The Citizen and a post from the outlet's official account on X.

The company cited changing customer demand, declining sales in certain side-by-side categories, and rising costs as the drivers behind the restructuring, according to The Citizen.

The Newnan changes are part of a broader global restructuring, according to The Citizen. The company says support will be offered to affected employees, though specifics were not detailed in available reporting.

This is the second significant workforce reduction tied to the Newnan plant in roughly a year, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation opened the Newnan plant in 1986, with production beginning in 1988. Side-by-side vehicle production at the facility started in 2002. The plant has historically been one of Coweta County's largest private employers, according to The Citizen.

Why it matters — As Coweta County's largest private employer, shifts at the Newnan plant ripple through local jobs, suppliers, and tax revenue — and this is the second round of cuts there in under a year.

Reported by times-herald.com, thecitizen.com, bizjournals.com