Dynamisme 210 (World Leader)xp - Union Wallonne des Entreprises

Transcription

Editorial
Number One in Wallonia... and worlwide !
Qui sait que le numéro 1 mondial de la papaïne est
basé à Villers-le-Bouillet ? Que la plus grande usine de
verre plat du monde se situe à Moustier-sur-Sambre ?
Qui se doute que nous avons en Wallonie le numéro 1
des dérivés chimiques de manganèse ? Que notre
région compte les 2 premiers producteurs mondiaux de
chaux et de dolomie ? Qui imagine qu’une des plus
grandes unités de fabrication de galettes de riz est une
usine établie à Ath ? Que le plus grand fournisseur de
drap de billard au monde est une société de Verviers,
fondée en …1680 ?
Who knows that the world's Number 1 in papain
is located in southern Belgium ? That the world's
largest float glass plant is located in Wallonia ?
Who suspects that this region is the
headquarters of the world's leading producer of
manganese chemical derivatives? That it
includes the world's 2 leading producers of lime
and dolomite? Who can imagine that one of the
largest production units for rice cakes is a
Walloon factory ?
Cette année, à l’occasion de notre numéro «international»,
nous avons décidé de mettre en avant ces entreprises
wallonnes parfois méconnues, qui au fil des ans ont
réussi à atteindre une position de leader mondial.
This year, on the occasion of our «international»
issue, we have decided to highlight those
sometimes little known Walloon companies,
which have succeeded, as the years go by, in
attaining a position as world leader.
Les réactions que nous avons reçues par rapport à cette
initiative étaient particulièrement positives, aussi bien de
la part de lecteurs belges que de lecteurs à l’étranger.
D’où l’idée de «remettre le couvert» en 2007.
La rédaction de Dynamisme Wallon a choisi de vous
parler de nos «Champions cachés», selon l’appellation
donnée par le professeur Simon (page 5), auteur d’un
best-seller du même nom.
Parmi la quarantaine de champions mondiaux
(présentés également en français, voir page 19), nos
journalistes en ont sélectionné 10 qu’ils vous
présentent plus longuement : autant de success-stories
dans des secteurs parfois aussi inattendus que les
jouets en peluche, la protection des œuvres d’art, la
fabrication de la bière ou encore de galettes de riz.
Things are moving in Wallonia. We need to make
it known abroad. Wallonia’s players aim to
network with their foreign counterparts.
That is the aim of the brochure. It is published by
the Walloon Business Federation (UWE), a
private association whose task is to «promote
and support business, the motor driving the
Walloon Region’s economic and social wellbeing». The UWE is the official mouthpiece of
businesses established in Wallonia and numbers
6,000 businesses of all sizes and from all sectors.
We wish you enjoyable reading and, above all,
please do not hesitate to contact us at
info@uwe.be.
Pour que ces «Champions cachés» ne le soient plus,
n’hésitez pas à diffuser ce numéro autour de vous, par
exemple à vos clients ou fournisseurs étrangers (et si
vous en connaissez d'autres, faites-le nous savoir !).
Histoire de mieux faire connaître la Wallonie et son
tissu économique à un public international.
Bonne lecture et bonne année 2008 à tous !
Eric DOMB,
Président de l’UWE
Dynamisme wallon December 2007
Pourquoi cette publication en anglais ? Il s’agit en fait
de la deuxième expérience en la matière. L’an dernier,
rappelez-vous, le numéro de décembre vous parlait
dans la langue de Shakespeare des 5 pôles de
compétitivité, secteurs dans lesquels la Wallonie entend
se positionner dans les années à venir.
1
Summary 12/2007
Dynamisme Wallon,
The monthly magazine co-published by the
Walloon Business Federation and Maison des
Entreprises Wallonnes asbl
Chemin du Stockoy 3 • B-1300 Wavre
Tel: +32 (0)10.47.19.40
Fax: +32 (0)10.45.33.43
dynamisme.wallon@uwe.be
www.dynamismewallon.be
Editing
Thierry Decloux • Madeleine Dembour
firstname.surname@uwe.be
With the support of the AWEX
(Walloon Export and Foreign Investiment Agency)
Lay-out
Interlignes Etienne Delmée
Printing
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Alliance Media Tel: +32 (0)10.40.13.12
info@alliancemedia.be
Publishing director
Jean de Lame : Chemin du Stockoy 3 • B-1300 Wavre
Annual subscription (6 issues):
EUR 30, payable to the account of Maison des
Entreprises Wallonnes: 360-1149184-31
Extracts and documents from this issue may not be
reprinted, in whole or in part, without prior approval
from the editors.
01
EDITORIAL
WORLD LEADER
05
II Hermann Simon: How do you become nr1 worldwide
09
10
12
14
19
32
II Eric Domb: Preparing to «jump forward»
II Wallonia: An economy open to the world
II Jean-Claude Marcourt: The added value happens in Wallonia
II Walloon recipe for world leaders
II Who are our «hidden champions»?
II Philippe Suinen: Channeling growth
20
BUSINESS STORIES
when you are an SME?
1. AGC Flat Glass Moustier
2. Amtoys
3. Carmeuse
4. Codine
5. IBA
6. I-Movix
7. Iwan Simonis
8. Meura
9. Sonaca
10.The Rice Cake Company
ISSN 0776-1716
3
WORLD LEADER
||
Hermann Simon
How do you become nr1 worldwide when you are an SME?
Wallonia numbers some dozens of world leaders.
They are number one in their sector and yet these companies are little known to the general public.
Professor Hermann Simon has devoted a book to these «Hidden champions».
He was recently in Louvain-la-Neuve. Dynamisme Wallon was there to meet him.
Par Madeleine DEMBOUR
In his book «Hidden Champions of
the 21st Century», Hermann Simon(1)
inventories 1,200 «hidden champions»
in Germany. These are companies
which are the world’s number one,
two or three on their market, with
revenues below 3 billion euro and
which are little known to the general
public. They are often large SMEs
based in provincial towns, whose
business is industrial on the whole.
The «photofit» of these firms exactly
matches the profile of a number of
Walloon enterprises which, despite
their small size and small resources,
are world leaders on their market.
That is the entire purpose of this
special issue, which presents a
number of these companies in the
following pages.
According to Hermann Simon, who
was present in Louvain-la-Neuve last
14 November, there is an average of
14 «hidden champions» in Germany
per million inhabitants. According to
that statistic, Wallonia should therefore be able to number between 35
and 50 of them, which is a fair reflection of our inventory (see page 19).
The strategy of these champions is
often based on a number of principles
applied with common sense and per-
words are undeniably: concentration
and globalisation. "You have to choose
your discipline, knowing that it is better to be big in small markets than
small in big markets. Hidden champions
focus on a niche but they attack it
globally in order to expand their
market".
Hermann Simon:
"Hidden Champions focus on a niche but, to
expand their market, they attack worldwide".
severance. "If you take a look at economic literature, or university teaching, if you listen to management
gurus, such firms do not exist. They
are never the subject of case studies.
Hidden champions are global leaders
that get to the top without attracting
the limelight. Now, people can learn a
great deal from them", Hermann
Simon hammers the point home.
What lessons can Wallonia learn from
this? For Hermann Simon, the key-
Globalisation is precisely what is
needed to combine specialisation and
growth: "by staying solely in Belgium,
you reach only 1% of the world market.
The world is not coming to you, quite
the opposite. Firms are in the process
of transforming from Transatlantic to
Eurasian companies. We already
notice that all the «hidden champions»
are present in China in one way or the
other ". ||
(1) Hermann Simon is German and author of the best seller "Hidden Champions".
He published an updated version of his book in September 2007, «Hidden
Champions of the 21st Century». He taught at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, KeioUniversity (Tokyo), INSEAD (Paris), is a director of several companies and foundations and runs the firm Simon-Kucher & Partners (www.simon-kucher.com)
in Germany.
Globalization Multiplies Market Size
Globalization Has Only Just Begun
1135
3000
23
1900
1950
1980
2000
2005
2010
2020
100
14
Belgium
Globalisation has only just
begun and world export per
capita will increase a further
50% by 2020.
Germany
By staying solely in Belgium,
you reach only 1% of the world
market. The world is not coming
to you, quite the opposite.
Europe
World
437
6
370
Simon - Kucher & Partners
985
Simon - Kucher & Partners
2000
1543
Index
World export per capital (US-$)
5
WORLD LEADER
||
Pierre De Muelenaere (Iris):
"We are still a small company starting out"
Dynamisme Wallon: Pierre De Muelenaere, you run Iris, a company founded in
Louvain-la-Neuve in 1987 and which
currently employs over 400 persons. Your company is presented as a typical
"hidden champion" by Hermann Simon.
Does your company’s profile match that definition?
Yes, fairly. I recognise myself in the vision and in that clearly displayed ambition to
develop. The human aspect is also an important factor among us. I often say that we
are still a small company starting out: we have moved on from the spin-off stage to
the stage of being a profitable and "likeable" company. Now, we want to move on to
the next stage, where international development is the goal. We are still just as ambitious. We want to go towards the global market, all the more so since Wallonia is
quite a small market. I understood that very early on and from the beginning, I picked
up my attaché case and I set off to see customers in the United States and in Japan.
I have always liked doing that.
It is also worth saying that there are dozens of companies behind us in Wallonia
which have the potential to develop. For them to do so, we must arouse desire and
motivation, and bring about a certain emulation by giving examples of players that
have decided to become more global.
Iris was founded in 1987 by Pierre De Muelenaere so as to market the research of his PhD thesis. The
product was then an
optical character recognition system. As the years went by, that spin-off became an international leader
in the areas of intelligent document recognition, document management and large-scale IT project
implementation. Iris’ customers include major names such as HP, Kodak, Samsung, Adobe, etc. In 2006,
turnover was 86 million euro and the staff, composed of 400 persons, spread over 5 different locations.
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Jean-Paul Faure (Caterpillar):
"Whether you are a confirmed leader or a hidden
leader, the challenges are still the same"
||
© Nicolas Lobet - Trend'Image
WORLD LEADER
Dynamisme Wallon: Jean-Paul Faure, you are the CEO of
Caterpillar Belgium, which employs more than 4,000 people on
the Gosselies site. Does the portrait painted by Hermann
Simon match your profile?
Yes, except that it cannot really be said that Caterpillar is "hidden"!
But whether you are a confirmed leader or a hidden leader, the
challenges are still the same. The game isn’t over yet. Ambitious
objectives, closeness to customers, priority given to innovation,
importance of people, staff loyalty and also business culture are the
elements that I remembered in particular. All those elements are
actually to be found in our company.
As a leader, we obviously have facilities everywhere, but Wallonia
has the advantage of its closeness to suppliers and customers,
which makes it logistically attractive. Likewise, the closeness of the
universities is essential for innovation, R&D, new ideas, but
also for the training of our future staff. The state of mind is also very
important: we need well-trained people, who understand our business, and who are fighters!
Caterpillar Belgium is the second production centre of the Caterpillar Group and
the third private industrial employer in Wallonia with over 4,000 persons employed.
In the world, Caterpillar is the leading manufacturer of civil engineering machinery
and diesel engines and a technological leader in the building, transport, mining,
forestry, energy production and logistics sectors.
7
WORLD LEADER
||
Hidden Champions: what can we learn from them? The 9 lessons of Hermann Simon
Lesson 1: ambitious goals
Success always begins with ambitious goals. The Hidden Champions of the 21st century go for growth and market leadership.
This is the fuel that drives them forward.
Lesson 2: focus
Only focus and concentration lead to world class. Most Hidden Champions stay focussed. Some larger Hidden champions reach
the growth limits in their narrow markets. They go for "soft" diversification and decentralize. The new units strive to become Hidden
Champions themselves.
Lesson 3: globalization
The Hidden Champions combine specialization in product and know-how with global selling and marketing. Globalization is the growth
booster for them. They serve the target markets through their own subsidiaries. They are in a process of transforming from Transatlantic
to Eurasian companies.
Lesson 4: innovation
The Hidden Champions are in a phase of massive innovation. The effectiveness of their R&D-activities beats that of large companies by
a factor of 5. Their innovation processes are fundamentally different. Their innovativeness is both market- and technology-driven.
Lesson 5: closeness to customers
Closeness to customer is the greatest strength of the Hidden Champions – even ahead of technology. However, the Hidden Champions
are no marketing professionals. They sell through value, not through price.
Lesson 6: competition
The Hidden Champions have strong competitive advantages. New among these are advice and systems integration. Their competitive profiles are more complex, the barriers to entry are higher. The Hidden Champions actively seek competition with their best competitors to
continuously improve their performance.
Lesson 7: confidence
The Hidden Champions have confidence in their own strengths. They refrain from outsourcing core competencies. In order to protect
their know-how and their core competencies they mistrust cooperation and strategic alliances. They see the foundation of their
competitive superiority in things which only they can do.
Lesson 8: employees
The Hidden Champions have "more work than heads" and high performance cultures. Early selection on the job is sharp. Turnover and
sickness rates are extremely low.
Lesson 9: leaders
The secret of the success of the Hidden Champions lies in their leaders. The leadership is authoritarian in the principles, but flexible in
the details. Continuity is very high. Young CEOs and women play a more important role than in large companies.
8
WORLD LEADER
||
Eric Domb, President of the Union Wallonne des Entreprises
Preparing to «jump forward»
With its 6,000 members, the Walloon Business Federation (UWE) is particularly well placed to talk about the Walloon
region as a place to do business.
Eric Domb, its president, remains confident in the future.
By Henri MARTENS and Michael LAWSON
For Eric Domb, president of the
Walloon Business Federation (UWE),
Wallonia could well be on the brink of
a major turning point. "I’m very confident in the future", he maintains. The
fundamentals – an excellent location,
increased investment, a qualified
workforce and strong exports – are
positive, and attracting increasing
numbers of companies that reinforce
the positive dynamics. "All the elements are there", he says. And significantly, Domb sees plenty of room for
partners from abroad.
The universities of Louvain-la-Neuve,
Mons, Liege and Namur lie relatively
close to each other and have been
creating increasing numbers of spinoffs over the past few years. This is
something that the UWE is keen to
even further develop, seeing the partnership between business and academia as another way of maintaining
future growth.
To this, Domb notes an open attitude
from public authorities that has supported the arrival of companies as
diverse as Google and Ryanair. "It’s
true that everyone from the local to
the regional authorities are committed
to making this work", he says.
Going for growth
The UWE is currently focusing on
growth. "There has been a feeling overall that small is beautiful. This might
Questioning the status quo
be an explanation for the traditionally
strong SME sector in Wallonia. We
have noted that a relatively small number of companies created 56% of the
growth in added value between 1998
and 2004, creating two out of three
new jobs. So that is the challenge:
encouraging growth in more companies, and ones that are bigger".
Needless to say, as the spokesman for
Wallonian business, Domb has a clear
vision of how to encourage this
growth. He cites education as a priority, followed by training, public governance and the development of a spirit
of enterprise. "These are things we are
working on, he says. Success benefits
everyone in the region. We have a tendency to be too modest; we have to
value success more".
For Domb, this should entail a «brain
war». "And we’re very well placed for
that. Our engineering and academic
traditions are second to none. We
must encourage the bravest and most
enterprising people here".
As the CEO of the highly successful
Paradisio animal park, Domb knows
what he’s talking about when he
stresses the need to nurture excellence at every level. And part of that
job is communication. "I talk to my
colleagues regularly, explaining the
options and strategy ". This touches on
something he feels is important, the
continued motivation of the economic
sector.
Domb points to another characteristic
of Wallonia that is rarely touched on in
economic reviews: an ability to think
further and question things! "The
director of a large company told me
recently that the young engineers
coming from Asia and elsewhere are
certainly highly qualified but they have
a tendency to follow orders, he says.
Walloon engineers ask questions.
They challenge ways of doing things.
I feel much could be made of this". In
an age where initiative and creativity
are seen as leverages for growth, the
ability to look beyond the established
way of doing things is an asset.
"We are ready to make a huge jump
forward. There are already some very
interesting companies here in sectors
that are geared towards the future.
And many are open to partnerships". ||
Echoing other European observers,
Domb provides a very quick overview
of Wallonia’s strong points. "There’s
plenty of room for growth here. In
terms of logistics, we have a wide
range of services as well as a transport infrastructure that is excellent.
We are located within the industrial
crescent that spans Europe from
Britain’s Kent down to the valley of the
Po in Italy and into Spain. There is also
a very strong engineering tradition, as
well as renowned universities".
Eric Domb: "We are ready to make a huge jump
forward. There are already some very interesting
companies here in sectors that are geared
towards the future. And many are open to
partnerships"
9
10
11
WORLD LEADER
||
Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of the Walloon Economy
The added value happens in Wallonia
As Minister of the Economy, Jean-Claude Marcourt plays a key role in the region’s dynamism.
He explained the unique symbiosis between industry, the public authorities and universities.
I think the way we created these
poles is an intellectual revolution as
they also led to a break in the way
universities look at industry. The
barriers between industry, universities
or high schools and training centres
have fallen. What we also did is bring
industrialists, civil servants and academics around the same table. There
was a greater understanding of the
others’ goals and constraints and a
greater coming together.
Dynamisme Wallon : How do
the public authorities work with
investors?
Jean-Claude Marcourt : The public
authorities have a large degree of
flexibility that enables us to quickly
give precise responses to investors.
It’s quite exceptional. But more than
anything else, we have developed a
state of mind in Wallonia. The political
world is closely aligned to the dynamics of business. As Minister of the
Economy, I am even more attentive to
this proximity and availability. It is not
rare that business leaders call me
directly on my cell phone – and I take
the calls! We also work closely with
the agency involved with foreign
investment (Awex) to be able to react
very promptly to requests.
The best demonstration of this is the
decision of Google to invest here. We
put in 18 months of work in absolute
secrecy. Google chose us over 30
other sites in Europe. Another
example: Johnson & Johnson, which
involved very deep levels of work
between the Region, AWEX and the
local authorities for a project that was
also very competitive.
What is the region’s desire when
doing this?
12
The desire is two-fold. On the one
hand, we want to help create activities
and then help them to grow. The other
is to encourage foreign investors to
take part in this growth as to improve
economic interaction. This year we
convinced Johnson & Johnson, FedEx,
Baxter and Google – all American companies coming here. These companies
take expert advice and it shows that
Wallonia can compete and attract
world leaders, creating several thousand
jobs and a significant level of industrial
activity.
What are the benefits of favouring
competitive poles?
Jean-Claude Marcourt:
"The barriers between industry,
universities or high schools and
training centres have fallen".
What attracts a company such as
Johnson & Johnson in Wallonia?
Wallonia is the most attractive
European region in terms of logistics,
as we lie between Paris and
Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt.
The major European population
centres are just one lorry drive away.
Waterways connect with Antwerp,
Amsterdam, the Rhine and the north
of France. The motorways connect
with all the major networks. There are
trains including the TGV, two airports
plus that of Brussels. We also have
enviable living standards, with very
accessible house prices.
For example, Galactic is a Walloon
company, based essentially in the
agro-food sector as they produce lactic
acid. They came together in one of the
competitive poles with a university
centre and a large petro-chemical
company to develop the specific
plastic packaging that they needed.
You couldn’t foresee that. They now
have a product that has the potential
to become a world leader.
But I can show you lot of other
examples. The biggest Caterpillar
assembly plant is in Wallonia. EVS
produces 90% of the technology
behind slow-motion cameras. Iris
works with Microsoft and is a leader
in its sector. One out of two cyclotrons
used in the world are produced by
IBA. The aerial special effects in
«Harry Potter» use Flying Cam,
another Walloon company.
Where do you see future growth?
These companies create a signature
for Wallonia. When I see the number of
success stories we have here, I think
we can be proud. When I say to
people, "Look at who is investing here,
and look at our success stories", it
gives more credibility to our approach.
The Marshall Plan for development
favours the emergence of innovative
companies with a critical size, creating
poles of excellence that can compete
on a planetary basis.
We now know that added value is
created closest to the finished product.
By breaking down barriers, we are
ensuring that the added value happens
in Wallonia. ||
WORLD LEADER
||
About 40 in Wallonia
Walloon recipe for world leaders
We have several world champions in Wallonia!
Whether in their sector, or in a highly specialised niche, or even in a very specific type of product, almost 40 firms are
in «pole position» in the world.
Who are they? In which market do they operate? An overview.
By Madeleine DEMBOUR
How did we proceed to identify our
hidden champions? To begin with, it is
worth knowing that a first such «inventory» had been drawn up by the editorial staff of Dynamisme Wallon 5 years
ago. We therefore applied ourselves to
the task of updating that first list. Next,
an appeal was made by the Walloon
Business Federation (UWE) among the
various associated sectoral federations.
We also went through the press and
scoured the web. All in all, those different actions enabled us to update our
data and integrate a few newcomers.
As previously explained by Hermann
Simon (page 5), the leaders are often
fairly discreet companies and they
consider that discretion as a component of their strategy. They are afraid
of being copied, of attracting the
«benevolent» attention of the authorities, of being wrongly perceived by
the general public? They find it difficult
to gauge their position in the world
arena? Those are the reasons put forward for that discretion. It is still a
very widespread attitude in Wallonia
and does not make the journalist’s
work an easy job! Their business environment is the subcontracting market
and that further justifies their reticence to communicate since they
have little contact with the mainstream market.
For all these reasons, it is therefore
difficult to have a completely exhaustive view of the situation. If you feel
that you have been overlooked, please
14
Flying Cam is THE world specialist in close-range aerial filming,
using unmanned helicopters. The company participated in the
Harry Potter films and in the last three James Bonds.
contact the editorial staff (dynamisme.wallon@uwe.be). They will be
delighted to insert you in the list published on www.uwe.be.
No standard profiles
Our first finding is that there is no
determinism. There is no «standard»
profile to identify a leader. Sectors
with a strong technological content are
certainly well represented but some
more traditional companies manage to
stand out amongst the crowd, whether they are in the textile industry
(Iwan Simonis founded in …1680 !) or
in the agri-food business (Corman and
its technical butters, Meura in the brewing equipment sector, The Rice Cake
Company, etc.).
Size is not a decisive criterion either.
Codine (5 persons) is evidence of such
a firm. It has exceptional references,
such as the Louvre or London’s
Victoria & Albert Museum. A further
example is I-Movix (7 persons), which
was awarded the Technological
Innovation Prize at the NAB Show in
Las Vegas last April.
Thales Alenia Space ETCA
These «minnows» do business alongside such giants as GlaxoSmithKline
Biologicals (5,300 persons on the
Walloon sites of Rixensart, Wavre and
Gembloux) or Magotteaux (2,160 persons throughout the world). It is
however worth pointing out that the
«big» medium-sized enterprises –
around 200 people – are well represented. In several cases, these companies are subsidiaries of multinationals, but their activity and the added
value created in Wallonia stand apart
at international level.
Is a good product enough?
Having said this, how does a firm
become the world’s number 1 when it
is an SME? Is a product enough? Is
the director’s or the management’s
personality a decisive factor?
Innovation undeniably has an essential
part to play in the leader’s progress
(AGC Flat Glass, Sonaca, GSK Bio).
Technological progress may be combined with acquisitions of companies
which are themselves leaders in their
sector (IBA, Iris), or the opportunity to
take control of a recognised competitor (MP Colinet, Carmeuse), but also
with a good market understanding
(Automatics Systems). As regards
Compared with our «inventory» drawn
up 5 years ago, the emergence of
some companies active in new technologies is also worth noting. These
emerging companies include Nanocyl
and Nomacorc (new materials), IMovix and XDC (digital data) and IP
Trade (internet protocol). Others are
emerging in less «technological» sectors like Amtoys in the children’s toys
business, but with a completely
revamped economic model.
Among the 5 competitiveness clusters
set up in Wallonia, it should also be
noted that the «Skywin» cluster (aeronautics and space) is very well represented with companies such as Amos,
Sonaca, Techspace Aero and Thales
Alenia Space ETCA.
Generally speaking, there are no success stories without a real leadership
capacity for carrying through a longterm strategy and mobilising its teams
around a strong ambition. That is probably the secret of the success of
some flagships of our economy such
as CMI, Lhoist, Prayon, and many
more others… ||
EVS Broadcast is the world leader for live TV
production digital disk recorders and related
software applications, especially in the field of sport
The list will be published on www.uwe.be
Please contact the editorial staff
(dynamisme.wallon@uwe.be)
for any omission or update.
The exploitation of an extremely specialised and challenging niche on a
world scale is also a differentiation
factor for firms such as Erachem
Comilog (manganese chemicals),
Enzybel (papain), Flying Cam (unmanned aerial filming), Heimbach (technical felts), Saluc (billiard balls), Sidech
(bismuth) or even Zinacor (zinc wireworks).
CMI has world leadership or
co-leadership in the segment of
recovery boilers for steam and gas
combined-cycle power stations,
gun-turret systems for light
armoured vehicles and steel
galvanisation lines
© Belpress banque d’images en ligne
industrial equipment, vertical integration – design, production, after-sales
service – is also put forward as a
«plus» to reach the top (Biebuyck).
15
BUSINESS STORY
||
Who are our
«hidden champions»?
By Madeleine DEMBOUR
AGC Flat Glass
AGC Flat Glass >> voir page 20.
Amos: offering its services, in particular,
Amos : offrant notamment ses services à
to the space industry and to professional
astronomy, the Liège-based company,
Amos, benefits from international recognition after the experience acquired during
the construction of large telescopes in
Chile. Employing 65 persons and achieving 80% of its revenue from exports,
Amos is also developing on Asian markets
such as India or Korea (www.amos.be).
l’industrie spatiale et à l’astronomie professionnelle, la société liégeoise Amos bénéficie d’une reconnaissance mondiale après
l’expérience acquise lors de la réalisation de
grands télescopes au Chili. Employant 65
personnes et réalisant 80% de son chiffre
d’affaires à l’exportation, Amos se développe aussi sur des marchés asiatiques
comme l’Inde ou la Corée (www.amos.be).
Amtoys >> see page 20.
Amtoys >> voir page 20.
Automatic Systems ranks among the world’s top 5 in the
Automatics Systems : figurant dans le top 5 mondial du
field of automated access control and is the world leader in
automatic gates. The firm from Wavre has a string of prestigious references throughout the world (www.automatic-systems.be).
contrôle d’accès automatisé et plus particulièrement leader
mondial des portillons automatiques, la firme de Wavre
enchaîne les références prestigieuses partout dans le monde
(www.automatic-systems.be).
Automation & Robotics: located in Verviers, this company
Automation & Robotics : sise à Verviers, cette entreprise de
employs 85 persons and appears among the leaders in the
design and manufacture of instruments intended for the ophthalmic industry. The SME is also active in the markets of the automotive and chemical industry and has a list of great names in its
“customer” file including: Wal-Mart, Oracle, Samsung Eyetech,
Optovision, Carl Zeiss, Essilor, Valeo, etc. (www.ar.be).
85 personnes figure dans le top mondial de la conception et la
fabrication d’instruments destinés à l’industrie ophtalmique.
Active également dans les marchés de l’industrie automobile
et chimique, la PME possède une liste de grands noms dans
son fichier «clients» : Wal-Mart, Oracle, Samsung Eyetech,
Optovision, Carl Zeiss, Essilor, Valeo, etc. (www.ar.be).
BEA: located in the Sart-Tilman (Liège) Science Park, this com-
BEA : établie dans le parc scientifique du Sart-Tilman (Liège),
pany operates in the people and vehicle detection sector. It is
considered as the leader of the market for the detection of
automatic doors (www.bea.be).
cette société est active dans le secteur de la détection de personnes et de véhicules. Elle est considérée comme le leader du
marché de la détection pour portes automatiques (www.bea.be).
Biebuyck: founded in 1938, this Hainaut company is still an
independent family concern. In the sixties, it specialised in hollow glass cutting machines (glasses, vases, lighting glass) and
the “Biebuyck” trademark is known to glass manufacturers all
over the world (www.biebuyck.com).
Biebuyck : fondée en 1938, cette société hennuyère est toujours familiale et indépendante. Elle s’est spécialisée dans les
années soixante dans les machines de découpe de verre creux
(verres, vases, luminaires) et la marque «Biebuyck» est connue
des verriers du monde entier (www.biebuyck.com).
Carmeuse >> see page 21.
Carmeuse >> voir page 21.
Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie (CMI): international
Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie (CMI) : équipementier
technical equipment manufacturer active in three sectors
(Energy, Defence and Industry), CMI has two complementary
specialities: engineering and maintenance. The industrial
group has world leadership or co-leadership in the segment
of recovery boilers for steam and gas combined-cycle power
stations, gun-turret systems for light armoured vehicles and
steel galvanisation lines. In 2006, CMI topped the 500 millioneuro mark for registered orders. It currently employs over
2,700 persons spread throughout the world
(www.cmigroupe.com).
technique international actif dans trois secteurs (l’Energie, la
Défense et l’Industrie), CMI exerce deux spécialités complémentaires : l’ingénierie et la maintenance. Le groupe industriel liégeois détient notamment des leaderships ou co-leaderships mondiaux dans les chaudières de récupération pour centrales
électriques gaz-vapeur, les systèmes tourelles-canons pour véhicules blindés légers et les lignes de galvanisation d’acier. En
2006, CMI a franchi le cap des 500 millions d’euros d’inscriptions
de commandes. Il emploie actuellement plus de 2.700 personnes
réparties dans le monde entier (www.cmigroupe.com).
Codine >> see page 24.
Codine >> voir page 24.
continue page 22
AGC Flat Glass >> see page 20.
19
BUSINESS STORY
||
AGC Flat Glass: Leadership through inno v a t i o n
Wallonia’s position as a world leader in glass production has continued through
the many changes the industry has seen. AGC Flat Glass Europe (formerly
Glaverbel) is the motor behind this success, driving the industry through superior
production and cutting edge R&D.
By John CURLING
Already in the 19th century,
Belgium was the biggest exporter of
glass and one of the biggest producers
of polished glass. Over 100 years later,
AGC Flat Glass Europe, the heir to this
great glassmaking tradition, is still
using the acquired expertise to drive
the glass market forwards – both in
terms of quantity and the all-important
quality.
AGC Flat Glass Europe is part of the
world’s largest glassmaker (AGC) and is
a leading European flat glass producer,
with 18 plants for producing the raw
material and 100 processing units
spread across Europe from Spain to
Russia (where it is the market leader).
For CEO Jean-François Heris, the company’s continued position at the forefront of the industry can be explained
by a number of factors.
Traditionally, of course, the company
has always excelled in producing glass
that is sold in traditional forms. To a
degree, this is a commodity market.
But from the nineties onwards, the
company invested heavily in expanding
markets such as first the Czech
Republic and later Russia. This means
the company was very well placed to
benefit from the increasingly global
world market – and particularly in
markets that are still seeing very strong
growth.
Innovation
But the group’s acceleration has also
been due to the importance it places
on innovation, both in terms of products, processes and even to a degree
in the business model. "Innovation is
at the very core of our strategy, says
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more important not only for us, but
also for our customers so they can be
more profitable. For that, we have
tripled the R&D budget in five years".
Amtoys: Creating added value
Although Wallonia’s key companies have traditionally been in industry, the
region is currently seeing a new generation of smaller companies that are
making the most of the new economic environment. One of the most surprising
success stories of recent years is Amtoys, makers of the Noukies range of plush
toys and DVDs.
By Katherin BROWN
20
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Amtoys started life only 15 years
ago as an importer of European toys
into Belgium. Founders Katia De Paepe
and Simon-Pierre Gilliot followed the
usual path of micro-companies, with the
garage being used as a warehouse and
the laundry room as an office. After four
years of hard work, they had little to
show for it and began to seek out other
approaches. "It was easy for shops to
contact the toy producers themselves
and cut us out of the loop", remembers
Katia De Paepe. So they took the bolder
move of producing their own range of
plushes, and from the outset targeted
high quality products. So Nouky, the
friendly teddy bear, was born in 1998.
Amtoys’ connections within the retail
sector enabled it to rapidly make a
success of the venture, and expanded
the range to include characters such
as Paco the Donkey and Lola the Cow
(Toys of the Year 2002 in Belgium).
Amtoys followed this with a range of
infants’ clothes. To consolidate on
what was already becoming a recognised brand, it opened Noukie shops in
Brussels and Paris. Over the next two
years, they expanded the network by
adding further shops in Belgium and
France but also Italy, Germany and
Abu Dhabi.
The next phase of their growth was
almost an accident. "Mothers began to
BUSINESS STORY
This innovation is built on very solid
foundations. The «float» glass production unit in Moustier-sur-Sambre is the
world’s largest, as well as being a
development centre for float glass products. In Athus, near Luxembourg, the
group runs the world’s largest safety
glass unit. "Other important production
units around Wallonia contribute to
making our 'Glass Unlimited' baseline
come true", says Heris. ||
ask us where they could find Noukie
DVDs when there weren’t any ", says
Katia De Paepe. "They thought the
characters came from a film". Spotting
a latent market, they decided to investigate the feasibility of producing children’s programming. They contacted a
scriptwriter and developed five short
pilot programmes for the MIPCOM
Junior trade fair, generating 80 screenings and numerous enquiries. "We
really didn’t know what to expect as
we were new to the sector".
After contacting Wallonia’s audiovisual
body Wallimage, they put together the
financing for a 26-episode series using
the Belgian tax shelter and some presales. They also found an understanding partner in Awex. "Over the years,
we have worked together and they
have proven very professional", says
De Paepe. She points to a trade mission to Canada that led directly to
further sales of the Noukies TV series
over there. "You get aid from experts
in their field ". ||
Carmeuse: Expansion through
partnership and knowledge
Largely considered a family business, the lime and limestone producer
Carmeuse has seen considerable growth over the past twenty years through a
long-term policy of expansion through investment and partnerships.
By Paul KUVNIC
In 1860, a Liege-based company
started providing the rapidly expanding
industrial base of Wallonia with lime
and limestone products. Since that
time, the group – still a family business – has grown to include some
80 production facilities across 12
countries in Europe, North America
and Africa.
This global scope enables it to serve
customers worldwide, delivering products in bulk, on pallets, in bags or
containers via road, rail and sea. The
company's focus on the needs of its
clients is reflected in its ISO 9000 quality certification at most of its production facilities. In 2002 it was the first
lime producer to be ISO 14000 certified in Belgium. It recently acquired its
main rival in the US for $518 million.
For Rodolphe Collinet, the continued
success can be attributed to a number
of factors. "When the fuel crisis hit in
the early seventies, he remembers,
the companies that survived were
those such as Carmeuse that invested
in new technologies and R&D to offer
new products and address new applications. We then undertook to share
this expertise with partners in different countries around the world".
At the time, the goal was remarkably
simple. As lime is a ponderous commodity, it was seen as a more strategic move to share the benefits of the
research and investment with strong
local players. "Transport can rapidly
double the costs of our products. So
we organised to work with partners in
a strategy of joint ventures. Then, over
the years, as the business evolved,
we eventually acquired some of the
partners into what is now a worldwide
group".
Apart from the weight of lime products, this policy fit with another
aspect of the business: "Building
methods and regulations vary from
one country to another, says Collinet.
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So it was better benefit from the local
expertise as well". He cites the use of
lime as a stabiliser. It first took off in
the US, before becoming used in
France and Belgium, then Spain and
Italy and is now gaining ground in
Eastern and Central Europe. ||
The heart of AGC Flat Glass’ R&D is in
Jumet near Charleroi. "The level and
quantity of work going on there makes
it one of the motors of the worldwide
glass business", says Heris. The company’s history has been marked by
technological advances. The idea is to
ensure glass remains relevant for people’s lives. So the current research is
focussed on health, the environment,
safety and comfort. Two of the most
recent results of this research are
generating considerable interest, as
their anti-bacterial glass and the ledembedded glass Glassiled both received awards at the recent Batimat in
Paris, the world’s largest construction
fair. "Our ambition is to be a leading
glassmaker that shapes the future of
the glass industry through innovation
and operational excellence", says Heris.
||
21
BUSINESS STORY
||
Corman: the world’s leading supplier of technical butters, the
firm from Goé (Verviers) exports to 80 countries, a good deal
of which are to be found in Southeast Asia (Japan, Korea). Goé
is the largest production unit for anhydrous milk fat in the
world. The company produces and markets the Balade and
Carlsbourg butters, among others (www.corman.be).
Enzybel: this SME established in Villers-le-Bouillet specialises
Corman : leader mondial des beurres techniques, l’entreprise
de Goé (Verviers) exporte dans 80 pays dont une bonne partie
en Asie du sud-est (Japon, Corée). Goé est la plus importante
unité de production de matière grasse laitière anhydre au
monde. L’entreprise fabrique et commercialise entre autres les
beurres Balade et Carlsbourg (www.corman.be).
in the extraction, purification and packaging of enzymes of
vegetable origin and more particularly papain extracted from
the green fruit of the papaya tree. These niche products are
used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, or even the textile
industry (www.enzybel.be).
Enzybel : cette PME installée à Villers-le-Bouillet est spécialisée dans l'extraction, la purification et le conditionnement
d'enzymes d'origine végétale et plus particulièrement de la
papaïne extraite du fruit vert du papayer. Ces produits de niche
sont utilisés dans l’industrie pharmaceutique, alimentaire,
cosmétique, ou encore textile (www.enzybel.be).
Erachem Comilog: based in Saint-Ghislain (Tertre), this plant
Erachem Comilog : basée à Saint-Ghislain (Tertre), cette
is the world leader in manganese chemical by-products. The
company is supplied with ore mined in Gabon and is able to
propose the widest portfolio of products in this sector. The
company has also developed a copper recycling service
(www.erachem-eur.com).
usine est leader mondial des dérivés chimiques à base de
manganèse. A partir de minerai extrait au Gabon, l’usine est
en mesure de proposer le portefeuille de produits le plus large
dans ce secteur. Le site est également axé sur le recyclage
du cuivre (www.erachem-eur.com).
EVS Broadcast: founded in 1994, the company from Liège is
the world leader for live TV production digital disk recorders
and related software applications, especially in the field of
sport. Its products are used by the world’s main television
channels in the sport broadcasting of events such as the
Olympic Games and the Soccer World Cups (www.evsglobal.com).
EVS Broadcast : fondée en 1994, la société liégeoise est le leader mondial des enregistreurs numériques à disques durs pour la
production en direct et des applications logicielles qui y sont liées,
spécialement dans le domaine du sport. Ses produits sont utilisés
par les principales chaines de télévision mondiales dans le cadre
de grand rendez-vous sportifs comme les Jeux Olympiques et
les Coupes du Monde de football (www.evs-global.com).
Flying Cam: founded in Liège in 1988, this SME has a staff of
ten or so people and is THE world specialist in close-range aerial
filming, using unmanned helicopters. Present in the United
Flying Cam : fondée à Liège en 1988, cette PME d’une
dizaine de personnes est LE spécialiste mondial de prise de
vue aériennes par hélicoptère sans pilote. Présente aux Etats-
BUSINESS STORY
||
States in China, Flying-Cam participated in the Harry Potter films
and in the last three James Bonds. The company is cooperating
with CCTV (Chinese Central Television) within the scope of the
2008 Peking Olympic Games (www.flying-cam.com).
Unis et en Chine, Flying-Cam a notamment participé aux films
de Harry Potter et aux trois derniers James Bond. L’entreprise
collabore avec CCTV (Chinese Central Television) dans le cadre
des Jeux Olympiques de Pékin de 2008 (www.flying-cam.com).
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals: supplying about 25% of the
vaccines present throughout the world, GSK Biologicals is one
of the world leaders in vaccines production. It is the international headquarters of the GlaxoSmithKline multinational group
for vaccine research and development activities. At the present
time, GSK Biologicals employs a little over 5,300 persons on the
Walloon sites of Rixensart, Wavre and Gembloux. The company
distributes 35 doses of vaccines every second (www.gsk.be).
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals : fournissant environ 25 %
Heimbach Specialities AG: founded in 1874 in eastern
Heimbach Specialities AG : fondée en 1874 dans l’est de la
Belgique (région des trois frontières), cette entreprise textile
produit des feutres techniques pour différents types d’industrie
comme le bois, le papier, le fibrociment, l’industrie alimentaire…
Une niche dans laquelle elle occupe une position de leader (www.bruch.be).
Belgium (three-border area), this textile firm produces technical
felts for different types of industry such as the wood, paper,
fibrocement, food industry, etc. A niche in which it holds a
leading position (www.bruch.be).
IBA >> see page 24.
des vaccins présents à travers le monde, GSK Biologicals est
un des leaders mondiaux de la production de vaccins. Siège
mondial des activités de recherche et de développement de
vaccins du groupe multinational GlaxoSmithKline, l’entreprise
occupe actuellement un peu plus de 5300 personnes sur les
sites wallons de Rixensart, Wavre et Gembloux. L’entreprise
distribue 35 doses de vaccins chaque seconde (www.gsk.be).
I-Movix >> see page 25.
IBA >> voir page 24.
IP Trade: a spin-off of Liège University,
founded in 2005 by 4 engineers, this
company specialises in telephone solutions
for trading rooms based on the internet
protocol (IP). These are the most advanced
solutions that can be found in the sector.
IP Trade is established in Liège,
Luxembourg, London and New York
(www.iptrade-networks.com).
I-Movix >> voir page 25.
IBA
IP Trade : spin off de l’Université de Liège fondée en 2005 par 4 ingénieurs, cette société est
spécialisée dans les solutions téléphoniques pour
salles de marché basées sur le protocole internet
(IP). Ces solutions sont les plus avancées que
l’on puisse trouver dans le secteur. IP Trade est
implantée à Liège, Luxembourg, Londres et
New-York (www.iptrade-networks.com).
continue page 26
BUSINESS STORY
||
Codine: high security leader
Have you ever been to the Louvre in Paris? What about London’s Victoria &
Albert Museum? Or the Royal Museum in Brussels? If so, without knowing it
you were in close proximity to Codine’s specialised technology. But hopefully
not too close. Meet a European champion in the field of protective systems.
By Paul KUVNIC
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Founded in 1976, Codine
(Corporate Distribution and Industrial
Engineers) initially focused on industrial process automation and worker
safety around dangerous machinery.
Responding to a customer request in
the early 1980s, Codine developed its
first detection system, launching the
firm on a highly successful path.
Today Codine is the European leader in
discreet alarm systems for protecting
publicly displayed works of art.
Numerous museums, churches, galleries and luxury firms count on Codine
systems to protect their valuable
assets. The company has won a dozen
different innovation and quality
awards.
In this market being an SME is a
strong point, says Pierre Dumont
managing director. "Big companies
won’t go directly into a niche market
because their investment won’t be
returned quickly enough. A museum is
not an industry. It wants to take time
to be sure the technology is effective.
We can work on a longer time scale,
providing tailor-made solutions and
long-term service. That’s how we
compete with big distributors".
Technology pioneer
Codine’s solutions use cutting-edge
technologies. Its pioneering electromagnetic proximity detection system
IBA’s growth still accelerating
IBA was founded in 1986 as a spin off of the Cylcotron Research Centre from the
Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve. The objective was to use particle
accelerator technology in both the medical and industrial fields. Twenty-one
years later, IBA is going from strength to strength, and perspectives are, sadly,
still very good.
By John CURLING
24
"Cancer diagnostics and treatment
still has considerable potential for
growth and it’s likely to be that way for
quite some to come", says Pierre
Mottet, Chief Executive Officer of IBA.
The continued ageing of the population
– and this almost everywhere in the
world – means that cancer as no. 2
killer (after heart attacks), is still a
major concern. "Up until now, we’ve
been very successful in the diagnosis
business, and now we’re looking to
become stronger in the treatment
aspect as well. Of course, there is
competition, but we’re confident that
IBA is ‘out there’ and taking risks
when it comes to advanced technology, and this sets the bar pretty high
for the others to aim it".
Born exporters
The first clients of IBA were all from
abroad. In fact, New York placed the
first order, while Tokyo and Sydney
were second and third. There are now
however more than 200 accelerators
installed around the world, entirely
normal when more than 98% of the
production is exported. Louvain-laNeuve is the nerve centre and where
the testing of equipment is done. 8%
of turnover is invested in research &
development and the on-site facilities
are impressive.
IBA is a world leader and this most
notably in the production and distribution of radiopharmaceutical agents
used in medical imaging, and the
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BUSINESS STORY
How important is research and development? "Quite important, Pierre
Dumont answers. Only when you are
the best can you go abroad. So we
must be at the top of the market and
be the first with new technology ".
With 70% of its revenue coming from
outside Belgium, Codine is growing
but in a controlled way. Pierre Dumont
explains: "We focus on European
countries because the farther we go
from our home base the harder it is to
assure quality. Maintaining our reputation is absolutely essential, so we
don’t want to expand too fast. We are
extending outward in a spiral". ||
development, manufacture, and service of medical and industrial particle
accelerators, used in imaging, therapy,
sterilisation, and ionisation.
1300 people work for IBA directly, and
this across 3 continents. There are
offices in the USA, Europe, India and
China, and more than 30 nationalities
work directly for the company. Up to
1000 other jobs can be added, as
much of the manufacturing work is
sub-contracted to other companies in
the Walloon area.
«Walloon Dynamics»
IBA still have good and close connections with the University (N.B. UCL is
still the third largest shareholder), and
much of the talent needed to take the
technology and the business forward
comes from the region. It’s no surprise therefore that IBA, together with
GSK (vaccines) is heavily involved in
the proposed «Medical Valley» project
outlined in Wallonia’s new Marshall
plan. ||
I-Movix: slow motion in the fast lane
If you really want to observe fast-moving objects, slow-motion video is the
answer. But achieving this is trickier than it sounds. A very young company
from Mons is making big waves in the media industry with its breakthrough
hyper-slow-motion technologies.
By Katherin BROWN
The story started a few years ago
when policeman Laurent Renard, a
passionate technology amateur, received a call from a film director friend
about a troublesome slow-motion
camera. Laurent got involved and
learned how much the system needed
improving.
Professional video technology generates 60 images every second (25
for film). But producing a smooth
sequence of slowed-down movement
requires more images. Typically, slowmotion cameras shoot 180 images per
second. Certain models can reach
1,000.
But these systems suffer from major
drawbacks. Slow-motion filming generates vast amounts of data. Difficulties
in processing and storage meant that
only short sequences could be filmed
with long delays before viewing. Also,
slow-motion filming doesn’t work well
under dim lighting. These drawbacks
translate into higher media production
costs.
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Quick adaptors
I-Movix is set to change all this. Its
new Sprintcam Live® can shoot a breathtaking 5,000 images per second.
Clever data handling results in simpler
information storage and real-time
monitoring without delays. This allows
film crews to shoot longer scenes and
broadcasters to show instant, highquality slow-motion replays.
Sprintcam® is also surprisingly lightsensitive. This permits slow-motion
filming even under dark conditions,
for example during evening stadium
events.
Sprintcam® wowed the audiovisual
industry at the NAB Show in Las
Vegas last April The annual convention
of America’s National Association of
Broadcasters is the largest trade fair
for image and sound technology. In
fact, Sprintcam® won the Technological
Innovation Prize awarded by the industry press.
How did this fledgling seven-person
company beat out the world’s electronics giants? Nathalie Vinchent, I-Movix
Chief Financial Officer, explains: "The
big companies are completely focused
on the next big thing: high definition
television. As an SME, we have flexibility and can adapt quickly. Unlike a
large company with a complicated
structure, at I-Movix Laurent can
exploit his own ideas. Some of our
developers wear a double hat – researcher and marketer – so products
evolve quickly. Moreover, our Chief
Technical Officer, who is Japanese,
has formed excellent relationships
with our key Japanese suppliers". ||
forms a protective cocoon around
a valuable object. Other detection
solutions are based on gravimetric,
piezo-seismic, infrared and laser
technologies.
||
25
BUSINESS STORY
||
Iris: this university spin-off was foun-
Iris : créée en 1987, cette spin-off universitaire est devenue leader international dans les domaines de la reconnaissance intelligente de documents, la
gestion documentaire et l'implémentation de grands projets IT. En 2006 le
chiffre d’affaires était de 86 millions
d’euros pour 400 personnes employées
(www.irislink.com). >> see page 6.
ded in 1987 and has become the international leader in the areas of intelligent document recognition, document
management and the implementation
of major IT projects. In 2006, turnover
was 86 million euro for staff figures of
400 persons (www.irislink.com).
>> see also page 6.
Iwan Simonis >> see page 28.
26
Automation & Robotics
Iwan Simonis >> voir page 28.
Lhoist: the Lhoist Group is one of the
oldest Walloon industrial groups. Founded in 1889 in Ampsin,
near Liège, today it ranks among the world’s leading producers
of lime and dolomite for industry, agriculture and the environment (www.lhoist.be).
Lhoist : le Groupe Lhoist est un des
plus anciens groupes industriels wallons. Fondé en 1889 à
Ampsin, près de Liège, il figure aujourd’hui parmi les premiers
producteurs mondiaux de chaux et de dolomie, pour l'industrie,
l'agriculture et l'environnement (www.lhoist.be).
Magotteaux: the small smelting works was founded in Liège
in 1920 and today it has become an international group, posting revenue of 430 million and employing 2,160 persons
worldwide. International expansion dates back to the sixties,
with the development of extremely resistant metal balls, used
to crush stone and reduce it to powder. The invention was
soon to find outlets in the mines and cement making
(www.magotteaux.com).
Magotteaux : la petite fonderie liégeoise crée en 1920 est devenue aujourd'hui un groupe international, qui affiche un chiffre d'affaires de 430 millions d'euros et emploie 2160 personnes dans le
monde. L’expansion internationale date des années 60, avec la
mise au point de boulets métalliques, extrêmement solides, qui
permettent de casser la pierre et de la réduire en poudre : une
invention qui trouve rapidement des débouchés dans les mines et
la fabrication de ciment (www.magotteaux.com).
Mécanique de Précision Colinet (MP Colinet): heir to the
Walloon engineering tradition, this firm with a workforce of 70
persons designs, manufactures and markets machine tools for
customers active in the oil and gas drilling sector. It exports
practically its entire production, particularly to China, where it
has been established since 1992, and to America (www.pmccolinet.com).
Mécanique de Précision Colinet (MP Colinet) : héritière de
la tradition mécanique wallonne, cette entreprise de 70 personnes conçoit, fabrique et commercialise des machines-outils
pour des clients actifs dans le secteur du forage pétrolier et
gazier. Elle exporte pratiquement toute sa production, notamment en Chine, où elle est établie depuis 1992, et en
Amérique (www.pmc-colinet.com).
Meura >> see page 28.
Meura >> voir page 28.
Nanocyl: established in 2002 under the auspices of the
Nanocyl : créée en 2002 dans le giron de l’université de
University of Namur, this young firm currently established in
Sambreville is one of the major players worldwide in the production of carbon nanotubes (40 tonnes per year). It was one
of the first companies to be set up in Europe to market these
new materials (www.nanocyl.com).
Namur, cette jeune entreprise aujourd’hui établie à Sambreville
est un des acteurs majeurs, sur la scène mondiale, dans la production de nanotubes de carbone avec 40 tonnes par an. Elle a
été l’une des premières sociétés à s’établir en Europe pour
commercialiser ces nouveaux matériaux (www.nanocyl.com).
Nomacorc: the largest manufacturer of synthetic corks for
wine bottles in the world, Nomacorc is number 1 on the market. Production started in 1999 in the United Sates and in 2003
in Europe, on the new production site of Thimister-Clermont
(www.nomacorc.com).
Nomacorc : plus grand fabricant de bouchons synthétiques
Prayon: the Prayon Group, based in Engis (Liège), ranks
Prayon : le Groupe Prayon, basé à Engis (Liège), figure parmi
among the world leaders in phosphate chemicals (detergents,
water and metals treatment, food additives, etc.) and is active
in the development of chemical specialties. Employing 1,400
persons in twenty or so companies located in more than 10 countries, Prayon
Amos
markets its products in over 100 countries
(www.prayon.com).
les leaders mondiaux de la chimie des phosphates (détergents,
traitement de l’eau, des métaux, additifs alimentaires…) et est
actif dans le développement de spécialités en chimie minérale.
Occupant 1.400 personnes dans une vingtaine de sociétés implantées dans plus de
10 pays, Prayon commercialise ses produits dans plus de 100 pays
(www.prayon.com).
Saluc: all billiard lovers are familiar with
Aramith billiard balls. They are a must for
billiard players all over the world. These
famous “Belgian Billiard Balls” are produced in the little village of Calenelle in
Hainaut (Province). At the outset, the firm
was active in the manufacture of synthetic
tannins and changed its business to the
production of billiard balls in the fifties.
pour bouteilles de vin au monde, Nomacorc est le numéro 1 du
marché. La production a démarré en 1999 aux Etats-Unis et en
2003 en Europe, sur le nouveau site de production de
Thimister-Clermont (www.nomacorc.com).
Saluc : tous les amateurs de billard dans le
monde connaissent le must en la matière :
les billes Aramith, les fameuse «Belgian
Billard Balls» produites dans le petit village
de Calenelle en Hainaut. A l’origine active
dans la fabrication de tanins synthétiques,
l’entreprise s’est reconvertie dans les
boules de billard dans les années 50 et
BUSINESS STORY
||
Today, it covers 80% of the world market and exports 98% of
its production to 85 countries. (www.aramith.com)
couvre aujourd’hui 80% du marché mondial, exporte 98% de sa
production dans 85 pays (www.aramith.com).
Sidech: specialises in the production of bismuth. This niche
metal is used in a growing number of applications, such as
chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The SME from Tilly
is undeniably the world leader in its sector with a production of
2,000 tonnes per year (www.sidech.be).
Sidech : spécialisée dans la production du bismuth, un métal
de niche qui trouve des applications dans la chimie, la pharmacie, les cosmétiques, cette PME de Tilly est sans conteste le
leader mondial dans son secteur avec une production de 2.000
tonnes par an (www.sidech.be).
Sonaca >> see page 29.
Sonaca >> voir page 29.
Techspace Aero: the Liège-based firm stems from the avia-
Techspace Aero : issue de la division aviation de la «Fabrique
tion division of “Fabrique Nationale” founded at the end of the
forties. The firm is integrated into the Safran Group (1,360 persons) and is known worldwide for the design and manufacture
of modules for aeronautic and space engines. Techspace Aero
contributes to the success of many Airbus (A320, A330, A340
and A380), Boeing (B737, B747, B767, B777, B787), Embraer
(190) and many other aircraft (www.techspace-aero.be).
Nationale» née à la fin des années 40. L’entreprise liégeoise
intégrée au sein du groupe Safran (1360 personnes) est
connue mondialement pour la conception et la fabrication de
modules pour les moteurs aéronautiques et spatiaux succès
des vols de nombreux Airbus (A320, A330, A340 et A380),
Boeing (B737, B747, B767, B777, B787), Embraer (190) et bien
d’autres (www.techspace-aero.be).
Tecnolub based in Waimes, a SME employing 4 persons and
supplying Boeing.
Tecnolub based in Waimes, a SME employing 4 persons and
supplying Boeing.
Thales Alenia Space ETCA: based in Charleroi (600 per-
Thales Alenia Space ETCA : basée à Charleroi (600 personnes),
sons), this company is a major player in the field of electronic
construction for the space industry in Europe. More particularly, it is the world leader in electrical supply and distribution
equipment for satellite platforms (www.thalesonline.com).
cette société est un acteur majeur de la construction électronique
spatiale en Europe. Elle est notamment leader mondial dans les
équipements d'alimentation et de distribution électrique pour les
plateformes des satellites (www.thalesonline.com).
The Rice Cake Company >> see page 30.
The Rice Cake Company >> voir page 30.
Vigan: port equipment manufacturer, VIGAN has installations
working in more than 80 countries across the world’s five
continents. Having earned its reputation as a specialist in ship
unloaders, Vigan has completed more than 1,500 installations
worldwide and looks like going from strength to strength
(www.vigan.com).
Vigan : les équipements conçus et fabriqués par cette entre-
XDC: established in 2004, this subsidiary of EVS is specialised
XDC : créée en 2004, cette filiale d’EVS est spécialisée dans
la logistique et la diffusion du cinéma numérique. XDC a déjà
assuré le déploiement de plus de 280 salles de cinéma numérique en Europe, mais aussi en Chine, Brésil et Etats-Unis
(www.xdcinema.com).
Zinacor: acquired by the German group Grillo in 1998, the zinc
wireworks (formerly Union Minière) has risen to first place
worldwide in the field of zinc wire and zinc alloy for the metallization process. The main application of this product is to protect metal structures against corrosion. The zinc coating can
be used for bridges, gates, cast-iron pipes, gas bottles, etc.
(www.zinacor.com).
Zinacor : acquise par le groupe allemand Grillo en 1998, la
tréfilerie de zinc (ex Union Minière) s'est hissée à la première
place mondiale dans le fil de zinc et l’alliage de zinc pour procédé de métallisation. La principale application de ce produit
est destinée à l'anti-corrosion : revêtement utilisé pour des
ponts, des barrières, des tuyaux de fonte, des bouteilles à gaz,
etc. (www.zinacor.com).
Automatic Systems
ranks among the
world’s top 5 in the
field of automated
access control and is
the world leader in
automatic gates.
in the logistics and distribution of digital cinema. XDC has
already ensured the deployment of more than 280 digital cinemas in Europe, but also in China, Brazil and the United States
(www.xdcinema.com).
prise de Nivelles sont exportés à 95%. Il s’agit de grues installées dans les principaux ports du monde. Les grues sont
couplées à de grosses machines pneumatiques d’aspiration et
de refoulement pour produits en vrac, par exemple les
céréales (www.vigan.com).
27
BUSINESS STORY
||
Iwan Simonis: leadership in the pocket
If you enjoy a nice game of pool, snooker or carom, there’s a good chance that
you’ve had hands-on experience with Iwan Simonis quality. The only
manufacturer exclusively focused on billiard cloth, the company has devoted
itself to uncompromising standards to become the undisputed leader in its field.
By Paul KUVNIC
In thinking about a champion
attempting to launch a billiard ball on a
faultless trajectory, you soon realise
that the surface it travels over can be
no ordinary fabric. The tiniest imperfection in the cloth could cause a
deviation in the path of the ball and
prove catastrophic in a competitive
match. It’s this attention to high
quality detail that has allowed Iwan
Simonis to make a big name for itself
in this niche market.
Guillaume Henri Simon Simonis founded his factory in Verviers in 1680
because the local water was ideal for
washing wool. Precisely when the
company began manufacturing cloth
for billiard tables is not known,
although it has been in production for
at least two centuries. Exclusive specialisation in this market came about
more recently.
The firm’s entire production takes
pace at its site in Verviers. Nearly all
its output is exported to about 50
countries. The main markets are in
Western Europe and increasingly
Eastern Europe, as well as in North
America, where it has a commercial
subsidiary. The Asian market is smaller
but growing.
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What role does innovation play for
Iwan Simonis? "The textile industry
Meura: brewing up innovation
"There are two parts to the brewing process, explains Jeroen Vandenbussche,
Sales & Marketing Manager for Meura. The hot block is where malt and hops
are ground and boiled. The cold block is where fermentation takes place. We
have the hot block. Out of about ten major players we’re Nr. 4".
By John CURLING
28
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Meura has been manufacturing brewing equipment since 1845 when
Jean-Baptiste Meura founded his
workshop in Tournai. Today, the company’s products cover malt milling,
complete brewhouses and yeast
management. With the beer industry
globalising rapidly, nearly all of Meura’s
business is in the export market.
"We’re involved in major projects in
regions where beer consumption is
expanding: Asia, South America, Africa
and the former Soviet Union, Jeroen
Vandenbussche, Sales & Marketing
manager, says. Being located in
Belgium is an advantage. We’re one
hour to Inbev, two hours to Heineken
and near the London head offices of
Guinness and SAB Miller Europe".
What about the growing microbrewery
market popular in the U.S. and elsewhere? "We’re carefully following this
trend. As microbreweries get bigger,
they’ll be able to benefit from our
highly efficient technologies",
Vandenbussche says.
New ideas
Innovation has always played a key role
at Meura: founder Jean-Baptiste acquired one of the first steam machines.
"If you ask a brewer what he thinks of
Meura, says Vandenbussche, he’ll say:
they’re the guys with all those new
ideas". Indeed, 60 engineers work at
the head office in Péruwelz, where
certain key components are fabricated.
BUSINESS STORY
The company has been innovative in
other ways too. Iwan Simonis was a
pioneer in sponsoring. The firm currently sponsors some of the world’s
top players. It is also the official sponsor and supplier to all major pool and
carom competitive events.
The company’s fortunes are inextricably linked with the popularity of
billiards. Fortunately this field is growing, thanks in part to TV broadcasts
of the sport. Through a devotion to
high quality it looks certain that Iwan
Simonis is set to retain its leadership
in this niche market. ||
Construction of the rest of the machinery is subcontracted to firms in
Belgium and abroad.
In 1997 the company established
Meura Technologies, an R&D centre
at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve.
Equipped with a complete test brewery, half-a-dozen researchers work
together with students. There is also
collaboration with other academic
institutions. "We have some patented
technologies that we even sell to our
competitors".
How will changes in the industry
affect Meura? "Beer brewing is
becoming less conservative, Jeroen
Vandenbussche answers. With pressure to be more competitive and to
offer new products, people are now
open to very interesting ideas we’ve
had for quite awhile. Brewing technology will see big changes in the
coming years". ||
Sonaca: Increasing visibility
in North America
The baseline of Sonaca is «Flying with leaders worldwide». This reflects the
company’s leading role in developing, producing and testing aviation and
aerospace structures and subsystems. It is currently in the process of
consolidating its role in the North American market.
By Katherin BROWN
The aviation industry remains a
very high-profile sector, showing
strong growth over the past few years
and with excellent previsions for the
coming decade. Yet it is also a sector
that requires very high levels of specialisation and close cooperation
between the suppliers and clients.
Although Sonaca’s history goes back
to Fairey, founded in the thirties, the
aerospace company emerged as a
world leader in its domain in the 90s.
From its operational HQ in Gosselies,
near Charleroi Airport, it researches,
designs, develops and produces aerospace structures and their subsystems.
After a couple of difficult years for the
sector that followed 9/11, the company now employs some 2300 people
and oversees companies in Brazil, the
US and Canada.
Sonaca’s customers include the largest
aircraft builders such as Airbus,
Embraer, Dassault Aviation,
Bombardier, IAI/Gulfstream and Grob.
It also maintains a strong presence in
both military and space programmes.
Sonaca is constantly seeking to develop new technologies and solutions to
enable aircraft to meet the considerable challenges of the future. For this,
Sonaca puts a lot of emphasis on
research and the highest levels of
workmanship in its production centres.
"Our position does not come on its
own, says CEO Christian Jacqmain. It
requires a good product, good design
and the latest production technologies
– in a word, an ability to innovate".
One of its latest projects in the pipeline is PLM, a system that manages all
the data needed for the design, digital
models, technical documents and
resource planning of projects.
It’s also necessary to keep up with
their client’s pace of production. This
is why the company recently invested
$17 million in its Canadian facilities,
enabling it to both increase production
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and also the size of the wing panels it
supplies to Bombardier. This reinforces
its presence in the highly important
North American market. The company
works in close partnership with its
customers around the world, while
also playing a key role in SkyWin,
Wallonia’s aerospace cluster which
itself has close ties with the sector
in Canada. ||
tends to have an ‘old’ connotation",
answers Bernard Bollette, the firm’s
Commercial Director. "But not in our
case. We use the most up-to-date
technology to ensure quality and
remain the market leader. At the same
time, we marry innovation with knowhow, because nothing replaces the
experience accumulated over centuries".
||
29
BUSINESS STORY
||
The Rice Cake Factory: The King of the Galettes
Recently been taken over by Continental Bakeries, The Rice Cake Factory has
built its reputation by having its finger on the pulse as to what the market wants,
and combining that with a highly developed production expertise.
This has made it one of the largest producers of Rice Cakes in Europe.
By John CURLING
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are working for some of the well-established cake brands (Haust, Brink,
Pirou) in the Continental Bakeries portfolio. "We’re moving from being a private label only supplier to being a
branded producer and along with private label supply. This is good news.
It’s going to take our output here in
Ghislenghien to a whole new level in
2008 ", says Martijn Postma, Facility
Manager at the Rice Cake Factory.
Naturally good
The Rice Cake Factory was founded recently, in 2006, following a joint
venture between two experienced rice
cake manufacturers: Grain Cake
Bakery Co. and Lima. Today it is one
of the largest and most productive rice
cake producers in Europe. Over 70%
of the production is exported.
Continental Bakeries obviously liked
what they saw, as they bought the
operation in August 2007. This purchase has opened up new opportunities at the «Factory», and already they
30
Rice cakes are a real treat, and can be
enjoyed in many different ways. Light
and tasty, they are a healthy and natural snack and have become a replacement for bread and toast. Rice cakes
are low in fat and low in calories too,
and there is no cholesterol – which
makes them ideal for those concerned
about their health, and their weight.
The rice is as the consumer wants,
namely GMO free, and is sourced from
both organic and conventional farms.
During the fabrication process, the
wholegrain rice is puffed rapidly that
preserves optimum nutritional value.
Whether it’s been for private label, or
the relatively new development of their
own branded cakes, The Rice Cake
Factory is well aware that it takes two
to tango. Success is best achieved
when there is real dialogue and a
genuine partnership with their customers. In strict confidentiality, there is
an open discussion about what product
and what market the brand or supermarket is going for – this combined
with their production and product
knowledge is a sure way to end up
with a new and innovative product that
the shopper wants and buys.
Quality control is key to the production
line. Every step of the process – from
cultivation of the rice to final product
is checked and monitored. No compromises are made and 100% traceability
is guaranteed. The Rice Cake Factory
clearly has a crispy future, especially
in light of the trend towards healthier
foods. ||
SONACA
Flying with leaders worldwide
COROT
AIRBUS
EMBRAER
BOMBARDIER
DASSAULT 7X
A400M
B-HUNTER
YOUR WORLD-CLASS PARTNER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING OF AEROSPACE
STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS
www.sonaca.com
Sonaca S.A. • Route Nationale Cinq • B-6041 Gosselies • Tel. 32 71 25 51 11 • Fax 32 71 34 40 35
31
WORLD LEADER
||
Philippe Suinen, CEO, Wallonia Export and Investment Agency
Channelling growth: The rise and rise of Wallonian exports
Wallonian exports have been growing steadily over the past 10 years.
The export body Awex has been busy providing businesses in the region with services to further increase their results.
We spoke to its CEO, Philippe Suinen.
Dynamisme Wallon : In terms of
exports, how has Wallonia been
doing over the past 10 years?
Philippe Suinen: "Awex
has a network of 105
offices around the
world, one of the
densest in the world
per head of
population. We
provide information to
the companies when
they need it".
Philippe Suinen : Wallonia is actually
the Belgian region that has shown the
strongest growth over the years, with
an average annual increase of 9.6% –
making it one of Europe’s most dynamic regions. What’s more, the exports
are going further, as sales outside the
EU have gone from 17.6% in 1996 to
19.7% in 2006.
It could be argued that this just
reflects the overall positive trend of
the world market. But over the same
period, Wallonia’s share of world trade
grew from 0.39% to 0.42%. This
represents an overall growth of 6.6%.
Wallonia is the only Belgian region
with a positive trade balance.
What is being exported?
The four big exports are chemical products, metal & steelwork and industrial equipment. Amongst the newer
companies that are doing well are:
Acapella, a voice-recognition company
that has clients such as Air France,
Siemens and SNCF; EVS that develop
television equipment such as high-quality slow-motion cameras; and Neuro
TV that creates CGI software for film
and TV.
What role does Awex play in these
results?
32
Awex has a network of 105 offices
around the world, one of the densest
in the world per head of population.
We provide information to the companies when they need it. We also organise trade missions and help attendance at trade fairs. This totals more
than 200 missions a year. There are
also financial incentives for companies
active outside the EU. We have also
helped companies adapt their products
to the specificities of some markets.
In cases where companies are already
active and know their market, we have
helped set up representative offices.
This is even more important when
companies pool resources, particularly
as next year is the year of the partnership. For more complex situations, our
financial subsidiary Sofinex can provide low-interest loans in some cases.
As far as investments are concerned,
we have appointed five experts from
the private sector within Awex, one
for each sector. They are recognised
specialists, in Aerospace for example,
that travel the world attracting investment.
Education is seen as a priority
within Wallonia. Are you active in
this area?
Indeed. We provide training for
employees of companies and young
people through a programme called
Explort. 1,400 young people receive à
la carte training in export investments
and language immersion. They then
work abroad.
Do foreign companies that invest
in Wallonia benefit from Awex
services?
Of course. And there is another reason to invest in Wallonia: we work in
real time. Say we are talking about
investment in Wallonia and we agree
on the terms. You can receive a letter
from the relevant minister within three
days. Everything has been done to
make this as fast as possible.
We received ISO-9001 certification in
2002. We are basically an enterprise
that offers services to other enterprises and we answer to a board of
directors – eight of whom are from the
private sector.
Is this growth sustainable?
In Wallonia, we’re a cross between
Latin and Germanic influences. The
area is increasingly seen as an area for
investment due to the location and –
dare I say it – the professionalism of
the network. We got involved with the
five key sectors and were able to help
them reach markets that in some
cases they were not even aware of.
Yet if you travel around Wallonia, you
can see that there is plenty of room
for industry. This is one reason why
the ports of Antwerp and Liege work
together. Liege is the second river port
in Europe. This is just an example of
the way things are moving forward. ||
C3

Dynamisme 210 (World Leader)xp - Union Wallonne des Entreprises

Transcription

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