Canon 2002 Annual Report Download - page 5

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Progress toward Becoming an Excellent Global Corporation
In 2002, Canon completed the second year of Phase II of the Excellent Global Corporation Plan.
Among the aims of this five-year management initiative are securing the No.1 position worldwide
in all of our core business areas, strengthening R&D to steadily create high-potential new businesses
and further enhancing our financial position.
Already the global leader in copying machines and laser beam printers, we are expanding
color document handling and developing the print-on-demand (POD) market, as well as systems and
hardware solutions businesses.
Canon introduced the first direct print system of outputting digital photographs without using a
PC, and in 2002 worked with five other companies to propose an industry standard, named PictBridge,
that include products from each manufacturer. We will aggressively introduce compatible products to
take full advantage of this standard, as well as our unique position as a manufacturer of both digital
cameras and photo-quality printers.
In the area of semiconductor production equipment, we aim to enhance our investment in R&D
with the objective of accelerating the development of basic technologies for next-generation products
that will maintain our technological edge over the competition.
Dealing with the Challenges Ahead
We are optimizing production activities globally and establishing
product development functions in the United States and Europe,
a move that will enable our global operations to develop and
manufacture products for sale globally. We are also making progress
toward establishing our Three Regional Headquarters System
by enhancing the functions of our regional marketing headquarters
in the Americas and Europe.
Canon also views environmental concerns as a manage-
ment issue of extreme importance, and we will step up our
efforts in this area, as well.
Although the world economic outlook is uncertain in
2003, Canon is strongly positioned in a range of expanding
markets. By remaining on course toward our goal of
becoming an excellent global corporation, as well as a
leading company in the imaging industry, I am confident
that we will continue adding value to the Canon Group
for stakeholders around the world.
3
Fujio Mitarai
President and CEO
Canon Inc.