Yanmar CE welcomes innovative Swedish property renovator and entrepreneur Anton Wörmann as its first global brand ambassador

Anton Wörmann deepens his collaboration with Yanmar CE, by building new futures for old and forgotten homes.

Anton’s restorations of Japan’s old abandoned ‘akiya’ homes had already drawn global attention when Yanmar Compact Equipment first became aware of his innovative work back in 2023. His love for traditional Japanese heritage and building practices, and his journey to rescue and restore some of the thousands of homes, abandoned and forgotten in Japan’s urban areas, quickly won him millions of followers on social media.
His entrepreneurial mindset complemented Yanmar CE’s own commitment to helping customers unlock their potential and build valuable and sustainable businesses. Today, Yanmar CE is pleased to strengthen that relationship by welcoming Anton as its first global brand ambassador.

A natural fit for Yanmar CE values

“For me, this ambassadorship is about linking two histories,” Anton says. “Akiya homes hold generations of craftsmanship and family memories, and Yanmar – a Japanese company with a rich engineering heritage – has a long tradition of building equipment that help people shape the places where they live and work. Using Yanmar equipment on my projects brings those worlds together in a purposeful way. It allows these old houses to have new life breathed into them. If I can show my audiences how the right machinery supports careful, safe, sustainable renovation, that feels like the perfect partnership.”
As Yanmar CE’s ambassador, Anton will contribute to global content projects, continue using Yanmar equipment in his renovation work, and appear at major construction tradeshows including ConExpo in Las Vegas and CSPI in Tokyo. With a strong following across United States, Europe, and Asia, he will help Yanmar connect with younger audiences who value authenticity, durability and responsible building.
Elsie De Nys (Global Director of Brand Marketing and CSR at Yanmar CE) sees this step as a natural evolution. “Anton has shown, project after project, that he represents Yanmar naturally and with integrity,” she says. “As our ambassador, he carries forward the message behind ‘Building With You’ – encouraging people everywhere to build with care, pride and purpose.”

A shared journey

When Elsie De Nys first viewed Anton’s project work on social media, she was immediately struck by the intention behind his work – the respect he showed for older buildings – their environment and the positive impact he was making on local communities. “Anton embodied our ‘Building With You’ philosophy and the ‘Hanasaka’ belief in helping people and communities bloom,” she says. “Collaborating with him felt like a natural step.”
Anton remembers that moment clearly: “When Yanmar CE first contacted me, I was excited by the possibility of collaborating with a company that had sustainability at its core,” Anton says. “After meeting Elsie, I visited the plant in Chikugo to see how the machines are built and meet other members of the Yanmar CE team. The collaboration really took shape during my Tokyo Nakano house project, when I needed a super-narrow machine. From that moment, everything aligned.”

Building trust through hands-on work

Much of the early collaboration developed through practical work on site. In his Tokyo Nakano project – accessible only through an 800mm wide passage – Yanmar CE matched Anton with its SV05 mini excavator, whose compact width of just 580 mm allowed him to work precisely in a space where larger equipment couldn’t operate. It was an early demonstration of how compact machinery can unlock careful renovation.
Anton has since obtained his Japanese operator license, supported by Yanmar throughout the process, and invested in his own Yanmar carrier for transporting materials on site. “Buying my first machine felt like a commitment,” he laughs. “This is my life now!”

Sharing a builder's story with the world

The partnership expanded globally through Yanmar CE’s “For the Builders” video series – stories spotlighting people who strengthen their communities through hands-on work. Previous episodes have featured peatland restoration in Scotland, UK, and maple syrup production in Quebec, Canada, showing how Yanmar machines support builders in varied environments.
The latest episode of “For the Builders” series, follows Anton on his Waterfall House project in the picturesque Chiba prefecture, where narrow forest paths and shifting riverbanks make groundwork demanding. Using a Yanmar mini excavator and a Yanmar carrier, he completed tasks that would have been arduous by hand – digging a trench and hole for a new wastewater system, carving a small channel to redirect spring water, moving heavy stones across uneven terrain, preparing the base for a future sauna, and building a concrete-block staircase down to the river. With some paths narrowing to just 950mm, compact equipment allowed him to work safely and precisely in terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible.
The setting – shaped by Japanese garden principles of balance, simplicity, and precise placement – pairs the traditional character of the site with Anton’s calm “Japandi” approach, blending Japanese heritage with Scandinavian design. It reflects the considered mindset he brings to every renovation.

Building inspiration together

Through this new collaboration, Anton and Yanmar CE hope to inspire people around the world to take a more sustainable approach to building a better future.

Watch the new episode of For The Builders series.

About Yanmar Compact Equipment

Yanmar Compact Equipment (Yanmar CE) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and support of compact equipment for a range of segments, principally construction and other earthmoving applications. Its products include extensive ranges of mini and midi excavators, wheel loaders, wheeled excavators, compact track loaders and tracked carriers. These are supported by a wide range of services designed to ensure customer success. A global company with proud Japanese heritage, Yanmar CE has manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and North America – and an extensive international dealer network. Renowned for its innovative approach – it was the first to market with the now-benchmark mini-excavator, and is credited with popularizing the zero-tail swing concept – Yanmar CE remains a trusted brand known for its reliability, performance and commitment to customer satisfaction. These traits are demonstrated through the company’s tagline – ‘Building with you’. For more details, please visit the official website. https://www.yanmar.com/global/construction