Yanmar was founded by Magokichi Yamaoka, the ninth of ten children, in 1912. Born in Minami Tominaga, Shiga, Japan, Magokichi began his career working in various jobs, including a gas plumber in Osaka. His experience with gas engines inspired him to start his own business in 1906, initially focusing on selling rubber pipes, installing gas engines, and working as a gas equipment contractor. In 1912, he founded Yamaoka Gas Shokai, which later became Yanmar.

During World War I, the demand for engines surged, but a post-war recession led Magokichi to rethink his business. In 1920, he developed a lightweight oil engine prototype, which led to the launch of a 3 horsepower oil engine in 1921. However, economic challenges prompted him to explore new technologies.

In 1932, Magokichi attended a trade show in Germany where he became fascinated by diesel engines. Despite the difficulty in finding a small enough diesel engine for his needs, Yanmar’s engineers persisted, ultimately creating the world’s first compact diesel engine in 1933. The company scaled up production to 30,000 units per year and shifted focus exclusively to diesel engines in 1937, changing its name to Yamaoka Nainenki Kabushikigaisha.

Post-World War II, Yanmar moved production to the countryside due to widespread destruction. The company continued to advance diesel engine technology, earning recognition with the Diesel Gold Medal Award from the German Inventors Association in 1955. Yanmar’s K1 engine model was even displayed alongside the first-generation diesel engine at a German museum.

Today, Yanmar is dedicated to sustainability and innovation, producing advanced technologies across agriculture, construction, power generation, and more, while maintaining a commitment to environmental responsibility and global expansion.