In the automotive industry, around 800.000 cars a year are produced by the Ford, Opel (GM), Audi and Volvo plants, while truck, bus and special-vehicle makers also turn out vehicles and components for the world market.

In logistics, the location of Flanders and the region's transport infrastructure have attracted a large number of both in-house and third-party operations, while in chemical production the Port of Antwerp is Europe's largest cluster and the world's second largest.

In the life sciences, the region has a long tradition in discovery research, production and distribution. There are a variety of global players in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and medical imaging, as well as in support activities.

And, in the field of ICT, Flanders has become a leader in fields such as digital signal processing, with a cluster of international and local start-ups based around the university city of Leuven.

Flanders has focused on providing the right environment for these sectors and others to flourish - the right infrastructure, the right workforce, the right platform

The automotive industry in Flanders 
 Flanders is home to an immensely rich and diverse automotive industry. There are builders, assembly plants, head offices of multinationals, logistic hubs, suppliers and competence centers. Our region has much to offer the industry. And the reasons why companies opted for Flanders are as diverse as the companies themselves. Some praise Flanders for its perfect location, others for its hardworking labor force, and yet others for its future-oriented attitude. Discover 10 reasons why Flanders is in pole position in automotive.

10 reasons why Flanders is in pole position

1. Located in the heart of Europe
2. A highly qualified workforce
3. Rich tradition in quality
4. Ideal base of operations for your company's European headquarters
5. Superior logistics hub
6. Abundance of suppliers focused on leading-edge technologies
7. Top players focus on automotive
8. Competence center hotbed
9. Forceful voice at all government levels
10. Flanders Investment & Trade: support at the start and expansion of your operations

The logistics industry in Flanders
Why should businesses come to Flanders for their logistics operations? Cushman & Wakefield provide a clear answer: Flanders is the European number one location for logistics operations and will hold this position for the years to come.

A diverse array of European Distribution Centers, port operators, stevedoring companies, major shippers and other global logistics players have established their activities here. The reasons why companies opted for Flanders are as diverse as the companies themselves.

Some praise Flanders for its world-leading ports, some for its solid know-how, and others for the vision it has developed on the future of logistics. All of them are able to achieve sustainable, profitable growth in Flanders. Discover 10 reasons why Flanders is in pole position in logistics.

10 reasons why Flanders is in pole position

1. Central location in Europe
2. World leading seaports
3. Efficient airports
4. High density transport network
5. Optimal use of inland multimodal platforms
6. Sustainable growth for strategic industries
7. Pioneer in innovation
8. Solid know-how and expertise
9. Strong support for the industry
10. Flanders Investment & Trade: support at the start and the expansion of your operations

The Life Sciences Industry
Innovation is at the core of life sciences, more than in any other industry. Flanders has always proved to be a region that shows new ingenious ways of putting science to good use for the benefit of millions of people worldwide. In pharmaceuticals, in biotechnology and in all kinds of specialized supporting activities.

By way of illustration: Flanders only comprises 13,500 km2 and houses no less than 115 companies with biotech activities, employing over 10,000 employees and generating a total turnover of close on €2.9 billion. Together they are responsible for ca. 20% of the total private R&D expenditure in Flanders. The money is well invested: 33 of these companies own 941 patents, resulting in a powerful patent position of 29 patents, on average, per company. Since 2005, five Flemish biotech IPO's have raised, between them, €213 million. Life sciences is a booming business in Flanders.

10 reasons why Flanders is in pole position

1.  Unrivaled expertise in plant biotechnology
2. A global market leader in pharmaceutical production and R&D
3. Industrial expertise and pioneering power in industrial biotechnology
4. All the innovative suppliers and support services close by
5. World-renowned research institutions VIB and IMEC
6. Strong human capital
7. Widely available funding for R&D in life sciences
8. Clear government focus on life sciences
9. Wide support for Flanders' life sciences cluster
10. Flanders Investment & Trade: support at the start and the expansion of your operations

The Chemicals Industry
Europe's leading production & logistics center

Flanders offers chemical companies looking to expand into Europe or expand European operations one of the most highly developed chemical clusters in the world.

In sector terms, the industry is a major national player, generating more than 20% of total Belgian exports. And while Belgium represents just 2.7% of the European Union's population and 3.2% of the EU's GDP, the country's chemicals industry provides more than 8% of European turnover in the sector and accounts for 17% of European exports of chemical products.

The region of Flanders is home to the lion's share of the industry, with some 1,500 companies, including around 1,100 small and medium sized businesses. The industry accounts for 160,000 direct and indirect jobs and an annual turnover amounting to around 33 billion euro. The sector's annual investment figure reaches about one billion euro.

Feedstocks by pipeline
The sector extends along a ribbon from West Flanders and Ostend down through Ghent to Antwerp and from there along the Albert Canal to Tessenderlo. The Port of Antwerp hosts the largest cluster in Europe.

With five refineries and four crackers, it is a major producer of the six main petrochemical commodities - ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene and xylene. It is also the main hub of the Western Europe pipeline network. Within the Antwerp area there are more than 100 pipelines with a total length of more than 350 km and carrying a total of 15 different products. A network of pipelines links plants on either side of the River Schelde providing commodities and feedstocks.

Major companies in Flanders include BASF, Bayer, Borealis, BP, Chevron, DuPont, Eval (Kuraray), Ineos, Kaneka, McBride, Monsanto, Nippon Shokubai, Proviron, SolVin, Tessenderlo and Total.

Specialized logistics providers
In logistics, Flanders offers the pipelines, the road, rail, sea and inland waterway connections the chemical sector requires. And, with several clusters in addition to Antwerp, there are specialist tank storage and service providers close to hand. A group of companies under the umbrella of the Belgian Association of Tank Storage Operators (BATO) provides expert service and facilities and offer a total tank storage capacity of some 3.6 million m3, including the world's largest stainless steel capacity.

The location of Flanders at the heart of the core European economy combined with its logistics and transport benefits provides rapid and efficient supply and distribution links with other markets.

Co-siting options
New sites are available, and site-sharing or co-siting is offered by four companies - Proviron in Ostend, and Bayer-LANXESS, Ineos and Monsanto at the Port of Antwerp.

Flanders offers the diversity and integration, the location and logistics, the workforce and the expertise for chemical companies looking for a new home in Europe.

The ICT Industry
Driven by innovation, creativity, technological expertise and entrepreneurship, ICT firms in Flanders have acquired European as well as global leadership positions. In Flanders' open business culture ICT companies can rely on a hi-tech ecosystem in which to develop tomorrow's technologies. This high density of ICT businesses, research centers and knowledge clusters provides them with a stimulating environment. This helps them greatly in taking the lead in their specific niche.

Whether your business is in broadband, wireless or satellite communication, and whether you develop ICT applications for the logistics, healthcare, banking, media or other industries, Flanders holds all the trump cards to foster sustainable growth for both SMEs and large ICT concerns.

7 reasons why Flanders is in pole position

1. Early innovator in broadband, wireless and satellite communication
2. Leading developers of a broad range of hi-tech applications
3. Home to a world-leading independent research center on nanoelectronics
4. Continued focus on innovation in ICT
5. Globally recognized human capital
6. A supporting and encouraging work environment for ICT-related business initiatives
7. Flanders Investment & Trade: support at the start and the expansion of your operations

The Food Industry
Tradition and technology - Production & logistics

Belgium as a whole, and Flanders as a region, have become renowned for the fine chocolates and gourmet beers they produce and export around the world. The food industry in Flanders, however, goes much further - it is a dynamic industry with large numbers of foreign firms using the region as a base for production, processing, packaging and distribution operations. Some recent major investments have included:

Tropicana, Ariake Japan, HJ Heinz, Campina, Yakult.

The Aerospace Industry
From design to production ... From components to payloads

Flanders has a small but competitive aerospace industry operating in both the aviation and space markets.

Some 28 Flemish companies, research centers and educational institutions involved in aerospace formed Flemish Space Industrials in 1995. Member companies specialize in the design and manufacturing of instruments and payloads for research in space, in the construction of small satellites, in the development and manufacturing of command and control systems for data processing and spacecraft monitoring, in new developments in satellite telecommunication and in the provision of services associated with aerospace technology.

Members include Alcatel Bell Space, Barco and Siemens for example, while a home-grown firm with a significant reputation in its field has recently had 90% of its holding taken over by QinetiQ, the British defense technology and security company. Verhaert Design and Development (VDD), the leading Flanders-based space systems integrator, has expertise in small satellites, payloads and instrumentation and has delivered a number of programs for the European Space Agency.

Another home-grown firm is Sabca Limburg, a fully owned subsidiary of the long-standing Belgian aerospace company S.A.B.C.A. Sabca Limburg specializes in the
conversion of high-performance composite materials into high-value finished, ready-to-install, integrated components. It undertakes development, design and manufacturing activities in cooperation with customers and as a partner in multinational development programs. Its current programs include work for Airbus, Ariane 5, Dassault Falcon and Lockheed Martin. Previous contracts have included work on Agusta A-109s, Boeing E-3 AWACS and Fokker 50s.

Another organization, the Belgian Aerospace Industries Association, groups close to 100 companies working mainly in aviation.