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on the up / newsletter France 2013 President Kennedypark 10, Be-8500 Kortrijk / t + 32 56 24 16 16 / [email protected] 1st year may 2013 v.u.: ir. Karel Debaere, p.a. President Kennedypark 10, Be-8500 Kortrijk Luxembourg Paris Investment and growth in the Kortrijk region: highlights

Had enough of gloomy news In the picture coverage and reports of Bellegem omer winS economic doom? Here in the prizeS again

Kortrijk region we focus on Omer Traditional

© Bockor Blond, a strong lager good news. Discover our top from the Bockor bre- wery in Bellegem near stories. Kortrijk, won a silver medal at the Brussels Beer Challenge 2012. This prestigious com- Did you know? petition attracted over 500 beers from around the world. “This Dollars come medal is yet another award for Omer,” from Kuurne says the brewery’s spokesman Nicolas Degryse. “We already won a gold medal at the European Beer Star in Nuremberg and at the World Beer Cup in Chicago.” www.omer.be

maeS inox renoVateS noma kitChen

Harelbeke company Maes Inox is all set to build a new kitchen in Noma, No-one really knows exactly how the double Michlin star establishment many billions of dollar bills are in : in Copenhagen ranked as the Best circulation in the United States. Yet the gourmet Province Restaurant in the World in 2010, 2011 every single one contains a bit of West Flanders is ’s most and 2012 by Restaurant magazine. Many Belgium beauty: fl ax fi bre from West culinary province. It boasts 22 gourmet gourmet restaurants already boast a Flanders. Vervaeke Fibre from Kuurne restaurants and 30 Michelin stars – Maes Inox kitchen as top chefs chose is not only the world’s oldest fl ax that’s eight restaurants and 12 more the Maes Inox concept. Peter Goossens company; it is also the main supplier to stars than a decade ago. Together, of Hof van Cleve, Geert Van Hecke of De the Federal Reserve, the US authority these top restaurants employ around Karmeliet and Sergio Herman of Oud responsible for printing bank notes. "My 250 people. You will not fi nd a higher Sluis all have custom-made Maes Inox grandfather was the fi rst to supply fl ax concentration of culinary perfection kitchens. “Noma is the icing on the cake,” to the Americans 50 years ago," says anywhere else in the world. beams company CEO Herman Maes. Antoine Vervaeke. "I’m not telling what his secret was, but if you feel dollar www.maesinox.be bills, you know how special they are. They are 75 percent cotton, 25 percent fl ax – and so much softer than stiff euro notes.”

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 1 15/05/2013 10:08:29 Investments

Picanol invests €12 sPica settles at Evolis million in Ieper factory Spica, a spin-off of Image technologY Loom producer mechatronics Barco, opened its Image technologY plastic processing mechatronics Picanol Group is doors in December lichting technology plastic processing investing €12 2012, the third lichting technology million in its company to move into the high-grade activities in Ieper. “We are adding a new industrial estate Evolis in Kortrijk. building of 5,000 m² where we will set Spica produces and services specialist up a new trial run area,” says corporate electronics including inductive communication manager Frederic components, cable connections and Dryhoel. “Here all our finished looms wiring harnesses. It also makes bespoke will be tested before being supplied to components for industrial customers the customer. This facility will further from a broad range of sectors. Spica guarantee the quality for which Picanol recently designed and produced 30,000 has such a reputation.” The company smart meters for distribution network is also expanding its so-called HWS operator Eandis. moulding lines, used to manufacture Spica is experiencing rapid and large machine parts of up to 500 kg. substantial growth: in 2010 it has just Picanol Group made a profit of €55.30 25 employees, today there are 90. The million in 2012, supported by excellent company is taking a prominent position performance from the Weaving as a supplier of electronics to the Machines department in 2011 and existing clusters of technological and 2012. industrial firms in the Kortrijk region, www.picanolgroup.com including companies in the imaging and mechatronics technology sectors.

creax moves to Kortrijk www.spica.be Creax, with its 15 employees, is www.evolisbusinesspark.be moving from Ieper to Kortrijk. The company, a leading business innovation consultancy, guides companies on their innovation path. Commenting on the move, CEO Mathieu Mottrie said: “We “We are moving to are moving to Kortrijk because it has the image of being a city for innovative Kortrijk because it has the companies.” image of being a city for Creax employs a team of engineers and scientists with a variety of backgrounds. innovative companies” “Our basic philosophy is that each Mathieu Mottrie, CEO Creax problem has already been solved by someone else,” Mottrie continues. “Due to the economic crisis there is major “After getting demand for ways of saving money and innovating. Entrepreneurs are acquainted with De Blokken increasingly realising that innovation is a necessity.” in we immediately www.creax.com knew that we had found our new location” Eva Buydens, DB Schenker

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 2 15/05/2013 10:08:29 DI Group: new HQ at group of SMEs that invests in niche says Leiedal’s managing director Karel Beneluxpark players within developed markets.” Debaere. The concept came from Mid December also saw DI Group DI Group’s new building fits in with Brussels landscape architect Bart Smets. open its new HQ at the Beneluxpark the ‘offices in the park’ concept which The park is particularly suitable for in Kortrijk. Stefano Aprile, DI Group’s Leiedal came up with especially for businesses which require a floor area of communication manager commented: the Beneluxpark. “This is an open at least 900 m². “DI Group now stands for Dejager park concept which adds value for The relocation to Beneluxpark was a Investment Group. We are a private companies, visitors and employees," strategic move for DI Group: “Apart from the attractive location of the Beneluxpark, near the E17 motorway and the city centre, it is a place where a park atmosphere combines with business. We strongly believe in the whole vision of the future of the Hoog Kortrijk district where there is a real focus on people and sustainability,” Stefano Aprile observes.

Other newcomers at the Beneluxpark The health insurance fund CM South- West Flanders decided to centralise its services on the Beneluxpark. The business bought a unit of approximately 1.2 hectares. By 2014 all the administrative services of the business will be accommodated in an office building of roughly 5,000 m². The office landscape will provide space for about 190 employees. Two other companies are soon to begin building new office space on the park. Hoprom is a developer of residential real estate projects while De Kortrijkse Fiduciaire (DKF) is a consultancy for family SMEs with 30 employees.

www.di-group.be - www.leiedal.be

© Govaert & Vanhoutte architects

DB Schenker invests €13 “After getting acquainted with De Work on the 36,000 m² plot has already million in Zwevegem Blokken we immediately knew that we begun. The sustainable building will DB Schenker is investing €13 million had found our new location,” says Eva consist of 2,900 m² office space and in a completely new logistics centre Buydens, also of DB Schenker. “It’s just 5,000 m² cross-docking capacity with on the industrial estate De Blokken 10 km from our current site, actually more than 60 loading bays. In two years in Zwevegem. DB Schenker had been in a better location, and the green the company expects to expand by a looking for a larger location for the aspect of the industrial estate also really further 30 percent, adding 40 jobs to its road transport activities of its appeals to us.” operations. branch. "We had been searching for www.schenker.be space for a newly built office so we could grow our operations," says Ulrich Pütz, managing director of DB Schenker Belgium. "The new site had to be spacious enough and easy to access for our international distribution activities. To provide the best quality to our existing and future export customers, it was vital that we remained in the region."

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 3 15/05/2013 10:08:30 In the picture Figures

Delta Light: Skyline Communications west Flanders: getting a shining success wins Export Lion ahead of Germany West Flanders is one of Europe’s

Image technologY -based The 2012 Export Lion, regions with the lowest unemployment Image technologY mechatronics Delta Light won mechatronics a prestigious award rates, according to figures published plastic processing three Red Dots and plastic processing which honours the in 2012 by the European statistics lichting technology an award at the lichting technology international expan- agency Eurostat. Comparing 2011 2013 Top Design Award competition in sion of Belgian companies, was won unemployment rates in 271 regions, Poland. CEO Paul Ameloot is proud of by Skyline Communications in the ‘less Eurostat found that levels ranged from his company’s achievements: “Winning than 50 employees’ category. The com- just 2.5 percent in Salzburg and Tirol, a Red Dot award puts you at the top petition is an initiative of government to 30.4 percent in Spanish Andalusia. of the list of international recognition agency Flanders Investment & Trade. West Flanders ranks seventh with an – I’m really pleased.” His mission is to unemployment rate of 3.2 percent. West family business Skyline transform the world of architectural Flanders outperformed Germany, which Communications is now a world leader lighting with the Delta Light concept. has an overall unemployment level of in multi-vendor network management www.deltalight.com 5.9 percent. software. Its DataMiner software is used by satellite companies, telecom firms and the television sector to manage the Cisco wins major prizes Kortrijk-Wevelgem entire data flow chain. DataMiner users airport keeps climbing include Belgacom, Telenet, RTBF, RTL Image technologY Cisco won two The number of flights at Kortrijk- and the International Space Centre, as mechatronics Technology & Wevelgem airport continues to increase plastic processing well as giants such as Eutelsat, which Engineering Emmy – up by one percent in 2012 from the lichting technology sends more than 4,000 TV and 1,100 Awards during the previous year. In 2011 the airport had radio signals to 204 million homes annual Consumer Electronics Show in 33,300 movements, which rose to via 28 satellites. Approximately one Las Vegas. These prestigious industry 33,500 in 2012. Medical and business billion people use computers driven by prizes are awarded annually by the flights are especially popular and are DataMiner. National Academy of Television Arts the main focus of the airport’s activity. & Sciences, the American professional Skyline Communications has grown by www.kortrijkairport.be association supporting technological 25 percent each year since 2000; today progress in the television industry. it serves 250 customers in 65 countries. A new head office is being built by the 84,000 visitors at The awards were given for innovations Kortrijk- motorway to accom- interieur 2012 from Cisco’s Service Provider Video © Design Biënnale vzw modate 70 employees from the end of Technology Group (SPVTG), located in 2013. Kortrijk. The city has become Cisco’s www.skyline.be European ‘Centre of Excellence’ for everything related to video technology. Cisco employs, among others, a hundred highly qualified and specialised R&D engineers in Kortrijk. For nine days, Kortrijk hosted www.cisco.com Interieur 2012, the 23rd biennial event for young and established designers and upcoming talent. Kortrijk provided a platform for 300 international exhibitors to shine and show off their creative flair. More than 84,000 people from 69 countries visited the exhibition and 24,000 visitors also joined the Buda city programme. “This year our focus on perfection and running the Interieur experience in several locations clearly worked. There was a new vibe to the event,” remarks curator Lowie Vermeersch. www.interieur.be

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 4 15/05/2013 10:08:31 Business infrastructure

Kortrijk Xpo: egg-cellent expansion Kortrijk Xpo has acquired a prime plot of land right in the middle of the major road interchange known as the ‘Egg of Kortrijk’. This purchase is important for major international fairs such as Matexpo and Busworld. “The premises are ideal for temporary pavilions during top fairs,” explains Saskia Soete De Boosere, CEO of Kortrijk Xpo.”The new location will be ready for use from mid-2016.” But top trade fairs can’t wait to use the site. Matexpo 2013, the international trade fair for machinery and equipment, particularly in the construction industry, will try out the new premises this year. “We are going to use the site as an extra demonstration area for www.kortrijkxpo.com cranes,” says Soete De Boosere. “We’re even going to build a temporary bridge on the site.”

Strong interest in Groenbek industrial park Fifty companies have expressed an interest in locating branches in the new Groenbek industrial estate, developed by Leiedal in Waregem. Karel Debaere, managing director of Leiedal, says the Groenbek project, which is converting the former site of Bekaert Textiles, is a prime example of regional redevelopment. “Together with the town of Waregem we are going to make 14 hectare of land ready for construction. We will only preserve a few factory premises from the existing buildings.” The first SMEs will arrive in 2014 and the size of the premises on offer range from around 3,000 m² to more than a hectare. www.leiedal.be

higher demand for Sales of units in this regeneration Such reconversion projects are Zwevegem’s De Blokken project are going extremely well. In becoming increasingly important in industrial estate the ten months since launch, Leiedal the Kortrijk region. Karel Debaere of The De Blokken industrial estate has sold eight lots – about 80 percent Leiedal observes: “Old business sites are in Zwevegem is another successful of the available space. DB Schenker, put back on the market and provide a development from Leiedal. It offers Distrilogistique and Desutter Group great opportunity for the creation of space for ten large companies involved have all purchased premises on the site, new industrial estates.” Alongside De in industrial or logistics activities. The reflecting the high demand for this type Blokken, Leiedal is currently working estate complements the nearby Evolis of space in the region. on several other reconversion projects: Business Park. Emdeka Bellegem (2.3 hectares), Groenbek Waregem (14 hectares) and Nelca (10 hectares).

www.leiedal.be

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 5 15/05/2013 10:08:34 20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 6 15/05/2013 10:08:36 Barco // special

Kortrijk-based Barco has once again exceeded its expectations. Find out what made 2012 special for this highly successful company.

Eric Van Zele ‘Manager of €50 million for Kortrijk iP Video Systems from the US the Year 2012’ IPVS, with its head office in Sunny- Barco moved its main site from Kuurne vale, California, is specialised in so- CEO of Barco, Eric Van Zele, was elected to Kortrijk as it continues to relocate its called ‘visualisation networks’. The 30 ‘Manager of the Year 2012’. Under his 1,500 employees to a single campus site employees of IPVS will transfer to Barco leadership, Barco reached a turnover of by 2016. The current Barco site at Kenne- as part of the takeover deal. Eric Van Zele €1 billion for the first time in 2011. “This dypark in Kortrijk will then have doubled believes that acquisition will provide a has to be doubled to €2 billion soon, in size to 60,000 m². The impressive main major presence for Barco in Silicon Val- within five years,” says the tireless man- office will be joined by units of 500 m² ley. ager. “Half the growth will be organic, each. “We explicitly chose a round build- the other half will come from takeovers. ing. A circle speaks of dynamism. The Projectiondesign from Norway With our turnover of just over €1 bil- concept is powerful on the one hand, Norwegian company Projectionde- lion we have become a major player in but rather uniform in terms of materials. sign produces compact projectors for the technology sector in Belgium. But We would like to include some techno- training centres, museums, amusement if we want to be parks and control a world market rooms. Through leader in digital the takeover Barco visualisation, we has reinforced its have to find that position in the mar- next billion fast.” ket’s mid-segment. Projectiondesign has 200 employees Barco’s and a turnover of first approximately €60 billion million.

The 2012 com- JAOtech pany financials from the UK demonstrate the British company success of the JAOtech specialises Barco’s growth strategy: turnover grew logical innovations within the design, in manufacturing terminals for hospital by 11 percent to €1.156 billion, operat- such as projections,” says architect John beds. These terminals can be used for ing profit grew by 28 percent to hit €100 Eyers. clinical purposes as well as for patients million, while net profit increased by al- to watch films or play games. Barco most a quarter to €94.1 million. Having believes this care sector is poised for celebrated its record turnover in 2011 Taking on, taking over growth from the aging population and with a Billion Euro Party, Barco has not the ever-increasing demands of hospi- stopped to rest on its laurels. Each of the awind from Taiwan tals when it comes to patient comfort company’s four divisions continues to Barco bought Taiwanese firm Awind and operational efficiency. The British support growth as they focus on greater to enhance its portfolio of wireless in- company has already installed 55,000 efficiency and strict cost control. “Each teractive screen-to-screen applications. terminals in over 120 hospitals world-

Barco unit stimulates the group,” Van With ‘ClickShare’, Barco already has a Image technologY wide. JAOtech has Zele says proudly. product for wireless presentations, and mechatronics five branches and 50 Awind’s technology fits perfectly with plastic processing employees. lichting technology this product. “By joining forces with Awind, Barco is gaining access to impor- www.barco.com tant knowhow,” Eric Van Zele remarks.

beelden: © Jaspers-Eyers architects

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 7 15/05/2013 10:08:37 Competences

Howest: hi-tech 3D modernisation for

Image technologY University College West Flanders (Howest) will soon open its pres- PlasticVision mechatronics tigious 3D Competence Centre in Kortrijk. Supported by invest- Flanders Plas- Image technologY plastic processing ments of €8 million, the centre will be an incubator for start-up mechatronics ticVision (VKC) in lichting technology companies in the gaming and interactive 3D technology sectors. plastic processing Kortrijk is enjoy- Howest students are also set to benefit. They will have use of the centre’s state-of- lichting technology ing the benefits of the-art green screen studios which boast the latest motion-capture technologies that a modernisation programme. Equipped create realistic animations from people’s movements. Students will also have access with state-of-the-art, sophisticated analysis equipment VKC will further specialise in the identification and char- acterisation of post-consumer recycled plastics. The VKC centre, the only one of its kind in Europe, provides the know- ledge and expertise to support local companies in the reuse of plastics.

www.vkc.be - www.plasticvision.be

€2.5 million for industrial automation to the professional quality audio and and interactive 3D sectors. About 450 centre of expertise montage technology. students are currently enrolled on the Image technologY University Col- course, including many international Since 2006, Howest has offered a bach- mechatronics lege West Flan- students from Canada, Sweden, Finland, plastic processing elor’s degree in Digital Arts & Entertain- ders (Howest), Spain, Portugal, Germany and the Czech lichting technology ment (DAE), unique in Flanders. DAE has inaugurated the Republic. been training students for the gaming www.3dsquare.be new Centre of Expertise for Industrial www.howest.be Automation (XiaK) in Kortrijk. XiaK en- compasses, among others, three labora- tories for mechatronics, automation and electromagnetic compatibility, together un job? Merci! microsoft invests in offering approximately 900 m² of space. A new website has been launched Kortrijk The centre will benefit local machine to attract job seekers to the region from Microsoft will be opening two builders, automation and manufactur- Northern France and Wallonia. These branches of Microsoft Innovation Centre ing companies, with a focus on SMEs. two areas have much lower employ- Flanders in Kortrijk and Genk. There are Companies from outside the Kortrijk ment than the Kortrijk- region; about 100 Microsoft Innovation Centres region may also access the centre’s R&D unemployment figures for the neigh- (MICs) worldwide; they unite research- facilities and expertise. bouring Walloon region of Hainaut, for ers and entrepreneurs, organise train- www.XiaK.be example, are about three times higher ing courses, guide early-stage entrepre- than in Kortrijk-Roeselare. neurs and facilitate innovation projects. MIC Flanders has one specific objective: Working in the Kortrijk-Roeselare re- stimulating the development of ICT in gion is an attractive prospect, and quite Flanders, with a focus on healthcare. feasible for people from Wallonia and Northern France, despite the recent loss The e-health cluster should support of the special ‘cross-border’ tax status for around 30 start-up companies and cre- French nationals. The French language ate over 300 jobs over the next three website www.vouseteslesbienvenus.eu, years. Microsoft’s top man in the region, set up by Voka, Unizo and the VDAB, tells Philippe Rogge, says these numbers are its target audiences about the substan- realistic, based on the success of the tial range range of jobs in the Kortrijk three-year old Walloon MIC. region. www.micvlaanderen.be www.vouseteslesbienvenus.eu

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 8 15/05/2013 10:08:38 creators and innovators The structure of the former textile fac- cess to extensive design and production get together at tory has been preserved, but architects facilities, including high-tech 3D print- Budafabriek 51N4E have opened up the 3,000 m2 of ers and laser cutters, where they can Kortrijk has a new meeting place space to the light. They have also trans- make models and prototypes of their where artists and other creative profes- formed the plain façade into a landmark concepts. Above the Buda Lab, exhibi- sionals can come together to turn their feature. The conversion project cost €2.8 tion space will allow these creative to ideas into reality. The Budafabriek is the million. show off their work to the public. In the final stage in the transformation of Buda At the heart of Budafabriek is the Buda longer term, the empty space will be Island, the unique Kortrijk district that Lab, a meeting space and open work- turned into workshops for experimental is the hub of Flanders’ thriving creative- shop for designers, students, entrepre- large-scale projects, along with living based economy. neurs, artists and local professionals in quarters for people working on them. the creative sector. Here they have ac- www.buda-eiland.be

“Kortrijk is a city of innovation, creation and design. The image of this city fits perfectly with the DNA of our DI Group.” Stefano Aprile, DI Group communication manager

© Filip Dujardin

confucius Institute in Chinese province of Zhejiang, involves school children of foreign employees howest officially a partnership between Howest and working in East and West Flemish com- opened the Zhejiang Gongshang University in panies. The four founding members The excellent cooperation between Hangzhou. of ISG are Barco, Volvo Cars, Flanders Belgium and China was highlighted www.howest.be Institute for Biotechnology and Ghent with the official opening of the Confu- University. ISG is also supported by a cius Institute in Howest, the college in range of regional organisations such as West-Flanders. A Confucius Institute, a the City of Ghent, the City of Kortrijk, sign of cooperation between a Chinese ghent opens the provinces of East Flanders and West educational institute and a local partner, international School Flanders and VOKA. is usually based in an institute of higher for expat children www.isg-ghent.org education and aims to promote the Chi- International School Ghent (ISG) nese language. The new establishment, opened its doors on 1 September. The a product of the excellent amicable re- school provides an international edu- lations between West-Flanders and the cation for pre-schoolers and primary

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 9 15/05/2013 10:08:38 Takeovers & Mergers

Big lift for thermote & vanhalst jaPan toBacco Buys The expansion of Thermote & Vanhalst, a family business from Waregem founded gryson for €475 million in 1969, is ready to rival the telescopic arms of its own fork-lifts and platforms. The This takeover was the sixth largest takeover of its German sector companion Mateco is typical of the company – its deal of 2012 in Belgium. Owner Guido has not stopped growing in 44 years. A series of rapid takeovers has helped the Vandermarliere built up Gryson company to become one of Flanders’ major businesses, comparable to carpet giant from the small company he Balta or logistics group Katoen Natie. The group has 2,000 employees and a turnover bought 28 years ago, when it was of €470 million in 2010; this will have doubled in 2013 to €900 million and 3,800 just six employees and produced employees. The group comprises two divisions. One rents out and sells fork-lift 90 tonnes of tobacco. Today it has trucks and hydraulic arms, mainly in Europe. The second division supplies parts and become a European player, along fi ttings for these machines around the world. with Vandermarliere’s remaining fi rm www.tvh.com J. Cortès Cigars which produces 500 million cigars and is Belgium’s largest cigar manufacturer. unilin Buys J. Cortès has been inventor of “At TVH farmerology - in the hands of the laminate Vandermarliere Unilin from thinking like farmers to family since its , known for establishment in its Quick-Step brand keep things easy, robust and 1924. Its head offi ce of laminate fl ooring, reliable – lies at the heart of is in Zwevegem. is buying Pergo, the www.gryson.be pioneer of laminate, for everything we do. We work www.jcortes.com €116 million. Swedish company Perstorp hard and have respect for our invented laminate in 1977 and marketed it capital and our people.” under the brand name Primus taKes Paul Vanhoorelbeke of TVH, over chinese Pergo. This takeover when asked about the secret of its success. secures Unilin’s position comPany in the fl oor covering Primus, the market. In 2012 Unilin had a worldwide Wevelgem producer of industrial turnover of €1 billion. washing machines, has acquired www.unilin.com its Chinese companion fi rm Deli.

image technology This producer of mechatronics industrial washing traficon taKen over for €35 million Plastic Processing machines and Wevelgem-based technology business lichting technology dryers employs 72 Trafi con has been bought by American people. Manager Eddy Coppieters company Flir Systems for a premium €35 believe this was an unusual takeover: million. “We develop the technology that "It’s usually the Chinese who try to buy analyses traffi c camera images,” explains in to the European market, but this CFO Stefaan Adriaensen. “If something is the other way round." Primus had happens which is diff erent from normal been cooperating with Deli, which sold traffi c fl ows, our system will alert Primus machines in the East, for fi ve operators. The system eff ectively replaces years. "We would like to secure a spot © Trafi con © Trafi the human eye, so you won’t need people in the Chinese market, and this is only to have to continuously watch traffi c cameras to spot problems on the road. There possible via a Chinese channel. Deli are only four similar companies worldwide working in this area.” and Primus will each keep their own www.trafi con.com image technology production." mechatronics www.primuslaundry.com Plastic Processing lichting technology

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 10 15/05/2013 10:08:39 Amsterdam United Kingdom

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20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 11 15/05/2013 10:08:39 Expert industry clusters

The Kortrijk region may be small in size, but it is a big player in Image technologY mechatronics several industries. The region is home to four leading industry plastic processing clusters: (1) digital imaging, communication and entertainment lichting technology technology, (2) plastic processing, (3) mechatronics and (4) light- ing technology. Each of these clusters comprises a dense network of specialised com- panies, dedicated knowledge centres and integrated education programs.

This newsletter is produced by the Regional Development Agency Leiedal. Leiedal was formed in 1960 as a joint initiative between the municipalities of the Kortrijk region (Flanders, Belgium). In the past five decades, Leiedal has grown into a diverse intermunicipal organisation that supports locally driven socioeconomic and spatial development within the region.

Leiedal, 2013 Leiedal Maes, vormgeving: Giovanni Grafische

20130506 - NB Investment & growth in the Kortrijk region.indd 12 15/05/2013 10:08:39