François Monette, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Cogiscan Inc.

A Challenging Year Has Driven Inspiring Solutions for the Future

Of course, everyone is hoping that 2021 will be better than 2020. The pandemic has brought many challenges and we have all been forced to adapt to protect our health and our livelihoods.

When the crisis reached Europe, with factories stopped, many companies elected to defer investments in new equipment. At Yamaha, we continued supporting our customers and were ready when industrial activity became to rise again. Later in the year, we noted intense activity among companies making medical technology and advanced communication equipment.

Looking forwards, we should all draw inspiration from the ingenious solutions to challenges we faced. I am proud of Yamaha's team, who created the infrastructure for us to deliver high-quality demonstrations and training experiences online. Customers can now access services safely wherever they are, which will bring lasting benefits.

As we hope for a safer and healthier new year, we expect capital investment to resume. Together, we must return to tackling important issues including climate change and sustainability. The high-tech sector has a responsibility to realise the cleaner industries and mobility of the future. At Yamaha, we expect growing demand for our advanced automation as companies seek to increase manufacturing capabilities, productivity, and quality.