A strong economy

Supported by strong infrastructure

Excellent workforce bilingual capacity

Where businesses take pride in quality

Directly surrounded by the largest EU markets

Antwerp

FLANDERS: A GATEWAY TO EUROPE

FLANDERS AND ANTWERP

Distance Antwerp Amsterdam 161 km London 337 km Paris 340 km Berlin 723 km

Luc Luwel / 2 oktober 2008

Algemene voorstelling

3

TRAVELING TIMES TO/FROM

60 % of EU purchasing power lies within 600 km => short delivery & travel times.

Proximity to European headquarters of major commercial & official organisations => lobby activities.

Open to different approaches due to being located amongst three major cultures : German and Nordic, Anglo-Saxon and Latin => ideal business ethos and workforce.

Companies which reffered to Belgium as test market/invested in => good examples

In the Life Sciences: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Schering-Plough, AstraZeneca In ICT: British Telecom, Philips, ST Microelectronics In Chemicals: BASF, Bayer, Kaneka, Nippon Shokubai In Food Products: Heinz, Procter & Gamble, Tropicana In Logistics: Caterpillar Logistics, Deutsche Post, NYK

UNIQUE LOCATION AT EUROPEAN CROSSROADS

Population: 6.1 million (58%)

Companies: 480,433 (66%)

Employment: 2,000,000 salaried 400,000 self-employed

Exports: €247 billion (81%)

KEY FIGURES FOR FLANDERS

Importance of foreign trade for Flanders: export ratio GDP 101%

No. 9 export region in the world

Accounts for 3.11% of world exports

IMPORTANCE OF FOREIGN TRADE FOR FLANDERS

EXPORT RATIO GDP (in %)

THE ANTWERP-WAASLAND REGION =KEY DRIVER OF THE FLEMISH ECONOMY

Of Belgium’s total GDP, region is good for 17% or €57.3 billion.

The city employs more than one eighth of the population of Flanders.

Purchasing power parity is 34% above the E.U. average. Several universities, colleges and knowledge centers

contribute to Antwerp’s innovative business angle and talent base.

Highly favorable economic climate for businesses from every sector of the market.

MAJOR ECONOMIC ENGINE

1. Port of Antwerp

2nd largest in Europe, 5th in the World

Fast growing logistic and distribution centre

Largest storage supplier in Europe : 5.4 million m² of warehousing with specialised handling and storage in “supermarket of Europe”

Strong chemical and petrochemical sector

Value of Maritime Trade: 178,2 million tons in 2010

Employment (direct and indirect): 148,000 jobs

THREE PILLARS OF COMPETITIVENESS

2. Diamond

1500 diamond firms and four diamond exchanges within an area of less than 1km2.

80% of the world’s rough diamond trade.

Represents nearly 15% of Flemish foreign trade (exports and imports).

Diversification: jewellery confection and trade.

THREE PILLARS OF COMPETITIVENESS

Three Pillars of Competitiveness

3. Petrochemical industry

Second largest petrochemical network in the world after Houston

22% share of foreign trade of the region

Employment (direct and indirect): 66,000 jobs

Increasing importance: +4.4% growth per year

THREE PILLARS OF COMPETITIVENESS