Yanmar manufactures and sells engines used in a wide range of applications, including seagoing vessels, pleasure boats, construction equipment, agricultural equipment and generator sets.

[1] Yanmar was founded in March 1912 in Osaka, Japan,[2] by Magokichi Yamaoka.

[6] In 1933, it launched the world's first practical small diesel engine, the HB model.

[9] Yanmar also started supplying engines to John Deere tractors[9] and for some Thermo King Corporation coolers used in refrigerated trucks and trailers.

[10] Within the last 20 years, Yanmar has also established a growing presence in the domestic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market in Japan and elsewhere, with small helicopter UAVs primarily used in agricultural spraying and other forms of aerial application.