The Covid-19 crisis has affected CAWE both directly and indirectly.

Our staff have mostly been able to continue working, either remotely or on site when it has been necessary to do so. Our IT systems and autonomous team-based working enabled us to adjust to these limitations and operations quickly returned to a satisfactory level.

Our Tunisian platform had to stop working at the height of the crisis in spring 2020, as did all our subcontractors. Thankfully, this total shutdown only lasted a few weeks, and our overall capacities gradually returned to normal.

These events also hit our suppliers, so the entire supply chain has undergone some unexpected changes. The uncertain climate has led to preventive actions, delays, postponements, etc. Risks have had to be managed as we go along. But we have steered everything back towards a return to normality, which we have now achieved.

Lastly, demand from our customers has of course seen some sudden shifts, but despite this we succeeded in keeping to our 2020 targets, thanks to substitute products.

Now, in early 2021, we are in a relatively good position. On the one hand, we are not suffering any financial after-effects from 2020. Most of all, however, we have tried to limit the effects of the crisis on our staff as much as possible, whether they are in Strasbourg or Tunisia. But to keep up the momentum of the business, we must ensure that everyone continues to maintain a sense of optimism day to day.

Despite the epidemic, the target for 2021 is clear, projects are moving forward, training is continuing, business is progressing and our staff are content. So I’m cautiously optimistic !

I wish every one of us a good 2021 !