We trust you all
had a merry Christmas and we wish you a happy and prosperous new year.
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
IMAGE UPGRADE FOR AACHEN
[BIZ: Aachen, December 19]
Exchange-quoted high-tech companies employing 2,500, with
total sales of EUR 715m, including arxes AG, Elsa AG, and Parsytec AG have formed a round
table with the Aachen Chamber and Cycos AG to market the Aachen brand. Housing, education,
a local job market and in-house training formed central themes at their first
get-together. A concluding comment was that it’s the people that count.
http://www.ihk-aachen.de/Presse/pre00147.htm
GLOBE EXPO STAKE
[BIZ: Maastricht, December 19]
LIOF has taken a 30% stake in a new Maastricht company
Globe Expo. Globe Expo specializes in the design, implementation and technical management
of fair stands and special events, including the manufacture and hire of all required
components. The company will be focusing on the options in Meuse-Rhine. Maastricht's Globe
Expo is part of the international network of the Globe Expo Group International with
branches in France, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia and India.
http://www.liof.nl
http://www.mathys-expo.ch/globe.htm
PR IN LIMBURG (NL)
[BIZ: Beek, December 19]
The Limburg Business magazine Limburg Inzake gives
an extremely useful comparative list of PR bureaus in the Dutch province of Limburg.
Editor Bert Salden covers a dozen PR bureaus and provides comparative analysis on
the basis of 15 questions. These cover activities and clients in addition to the hourly
and daily fee scales. Fees range from EUR 20.42 for hostess support to heavyweight hourly
rates at EUR 150. This is one in a series of articles which has also included accountancy
firms in the recent past.
e-mail: saldenpu@hvision.nl
POLES AT NEDCAR
[BIZ: Born, December]
A delegation of 10 Polish parliamentarians are
investigating the industrial supply options from Poland to Limburg. They visited NedCar
with the support of Maecon, the Society for Work and Business in Heerlen.
http://www.nedcar.nl
TOP 500 IN LIMBURG (B)
[BIZ: Hasselt, October]
The Belgian Limburg Association of Christian Employers and
Managers (VKW-Limburg) in Belgian Limburg has presented its list of the top 500 businesses
in Belgian Limburg. It can be ordered by phone on tel. 00.32.11.24.94.11
Top 10 employers in terms of sales were Ford-Werke AG with
EUR 163,682m; Philips Industrial Activities nv: EUR 33,927m; Borealis Polymers nv: EUR
33,125m; ALZ nv: EUR 28,599m; Ikea Wholesale Belgium nv: EUR 23,949m; Tessenderlo Chemie
nv: EUR 19,408m; SKF-European Distribution Centre: EUR 18,646m; Power Tools Distribution
nv: EUR 16,292m; Interelectra cvba: EUR 14,470m and Sappi Lanaken nv: EUR 13,543m.
http://www.gomlimburg.be
LOGISTICS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS
[INFRA: Liège, December 27]
The Liège Chamber of Commerce with the Chambers in
Verviers and Eupen has just published the principal socio-economic indicators for the
districts of Liège, Huy, Waremme and Verviers. This publication gives a good idea of the
economic potential of a region with a population of just over 1 million. The E40-E25
highway link, the airport, the port of Liège and the TGV station together pack a powerful
punch. The Province achieves gross value added at market prices of around EUR 17bn, one
third of the added value of the Walloon region. A third of the activities focus on the
energy, industry and construction sectors, but there are also 23,000 companies, around
22,000 retailers and small businesses. Export figures are at EUR 7.5bn on sales of EUR
28bn. Real estate is highly accessible with the average price of a house at EUR
62,000.
http://www.central.ccilg.be/ccilg/F_M4Gagnez.html
LIMBURG (NL) WEEKLIES GO TO AACHEN
[INFRA: Maastricht, December 20]
The effect of anti-trust legislation in the Netherlands is
to result in the sale of the Limburg Weeklies Press (LWP) to the Aachen Verlags
Gesellschaft (AVG) publisher of the Aachener Zeitung and the Super Sonntag and Super
Mittwoch Weeklies. The Limburg weeklies, of which there are a dozen, have a circulation in
excess of half a million. The new German owner's weeklies reach almost 900,000.
http://www.aachenerzeitung.de
REBUILDING LIEGE
[INFRA: Liège, December]
An article on construction in Liège in Liège Province
d'Europe No.280 for November 2000, which has just appeared, gives an overview of
construction activity in the city. This is the real estate in addition to the highway
reconstruction projects, the ongoing TGV station, Liège Airport, Place St.Lambert, etc.
The article points to the number of Dutch investors involved: Codic, King Sturge, ING
Vastgoed and Wilhelm & Co. There are apparently more big names in the pipeline.
No investment volumes are cited in the article.
http://www.lpe.be
MEUSE-RHINE LAWYERS
[INFRA: Aachen, December]
Law firms from Aachen, Heerlen and Liège have got together
to found a Euroregional association to be known as Lex-Euregio. The organization will be
based in Liège. One website lex-euregio.de is available with information on this tangled
web and another domain name has been reserved by a partnership in Heerlen.
http://www.aachenerzeitung.de
STUFFING AND STRIPPING
IN DIEPENBEEK
[LOG: Diepenbeek, November]
NV Universal Packaging & Loading Systems (UPL) in the
Diepenbeek Science Park has introduced the Container Loading & Bracing concept
(Colobra). Stuffing and stripping sea containers is highly labor intensive and maritime
container freight does not always reach its destination in optimal conditions. The Colobra
system is a metal loading platform which will make loading and unloading of containers
easy, very fast and much safer. Up to 30 tons can be moved into a 20 x 40 foot dry box
container in less than seven minutes
http://www.uplsystems.be
GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION
AACHEN AND EAST BELGIUM CHAMBERS
[GOV: Aachen, December 19]
The President and General Manager of the Aachen Chamber,
Michael Wirtz and Juergen Drewes signed a framework agreement with their counterparts from
the Eupen-Malmedy-St.Vith Chamber, Axel Bourseaux and Volker Klinges, declaring their
intention to develop a closer relationship of systematic cooperation within the context of
the Agreement. The Agreement is designed to facilitate cross border assistance by the
Chambers to their clients. Two further cooperative agreements were signed on foreign trade
and education.
http://www.ihk-aachen.de/Presse/pre00148.htm
Charlemagne Prize 2001 to George
Konrad
[GOV: Aachen, December 18]
The Hungarian writer, sociologist and psychologist George
Konrad will receive the international Charlemagne prize for the year 2001 in the
Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall. George Konrad is the grand old man of contemporary
Hungarian letters, once an active member of democratic opposition in communist Hungary and
president of the International Pen Club 1990-1993. In 1991, he won the Peace prize of the
German book trade. Mr Konrad is the second Hungarian following the Prime Minister Gyula
Horn to win the Charlemagne prize. His first novel 'The Caseworker' was translated into
many languages and brought him worldwide recognition. His other works include the 'City
Builder', 'The Intellectuals on the Road to Class Power', 'The Loser', and his most recent
semi-autobiographical novel 'A Feast in the Garden'. Konrad is Hungary's pre-eminent
essayist and novelist.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/konrad.htm
NEW MAN AT THE HELM
[GOV: Cologne, December]
Juergen Roters (51), born in Coesfeld, a law graduate and
married with three children, is to be the new President of the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion. He
is the Governor of the Cologne/Aachen region. Starting working life at the Ministry of
Education in Duesseldorf, he became a lecturer and departmental head of the Colleges of
Public Administration in Duesseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Cologne. In 1988, he became head
of the Bureau and assistant to the Minister of the Interior of North Rhine Westphalia. He
came to public notice for the first time in July 1994 as police chief in Cologne where he
remained for five and a half years. Mr Roters is known to be a particular fan of the city
of Aachen, which he regards as being at the heart of Europe. His period of office begins
on January 1, 2001.
http://www.euregio-mr.org
REGIONALE FOR MEUSE-RHINE?
[GOV: Aachen, December]
A major regional conference held every two years in North
Rhine Westphalia could be held in Meuse-Rhine in 2008, making it a EUregionale. This
year's event in Ostwestfalen-Lippe generated EUR 153.4m in promotional funds. Two areas of
focus for the region could be the automotive industry and biotechnology. However, the deal
has not yet been clinched.
http://www.oberbergische-volkszeitung.de/euskirchen/1156467.htm
MAASTRICHT HON. DOC. IN LIEGE
[EDU: Maastricht, December 21]
Professor Struijker Boudier of the University of Maastricht
is to be awarded a honorary doctorate by the University of Liège on March 21, 2001. The
doctorate is for his entire scholarly oeuvre. Professor Struijker Boudier has been
scientific director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM) and also
co-director of the French DEA program on vascular biology at the University of Paris since
1999. In addition to his work at Maastricht University, Struijker Boudier is an editor and
referee for various scholarly journals in medicine and he was made a member of the
'Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen' (Dutch Association for Science) in 1998. Last
year he was elected an International Fellow of the Council on High Blood Pressure Research
of the American Heart Foundation.
http://www.pers.unimaas.nl
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
[EDU: Maastricht, December]
The University of Maastricht is offering a fascinating
course in industrial history which runs from March 15 to May 3, 2001 on Thursdays between
10.00 and 12.00 hrs, covering the economic development of the Euroregion. It involves
excursions to key areas in the textile and wool industry at Aachen, Burscheid, Verviers,
Eupen and Monschau; the beginnings of metallurgy in Liège and the spread of industry to
the Ruhrgebiet and also highway and waterway transportation. The course will be given in
Maastricht by Dr Eugene Schenk. It is designed for the over fifties. Potential students
can register on 00.31.43.3883550/3882682
http://www.unimaas.nl
COMIC STRIP HISTORY
[EDU: Liège, December]
The official Liège website currently hosts a splendid
strip cartoon series of 20 pages, each with six illustrations which is likely to keep you
stuck to the screen for quite a long time. The series covers the history of Liège from
the beginnings of the principality and takes you through its first millenium up to about
1980. The text is by Christian Libens and the illustrations by the late Willy Warnier.
Though no rival to the brilliant course of lectures on L'histoire de la Principauté
given by Professor Bruno Demoulin, it is a good place to start, whatever your age.
http://www.liege.be/cadreslg/cadbdvol.htm
MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY
DSM PHARMACEUTICALS
[MED: Heerlen, December 18]
DSM has acquired Catalytica Pharmaceuticals in California
at a value of USD 800m (EUR 860m) debt free. Catalytica develops and produces
pharmaceutical intermediates, active ingredients and (sterile) dosage formulation, and has
sites in Greenville, NC, South Haven, MI and Mountain View, CA and a workforce of 1,800.
As of January 1, 2001 Catalytica Pharmaceuticals will be a business unit of the
Sittard-based DSM Fine Chemicals business group and will be called DSM Catalytica
Pharmaceuticals. Michael Thomas, president and CEO of Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, will
become the new business unit's director. The acquisition will boost DSM's sales in life
science products from EUR 450m to EUR 2.2.bn and will represent 31% of overall sales
(based on 1999 figures). This is a important step on DSM's way to major specialty company
status.
http://www.dsm.nl
CARDIOVASCULAR GENOMICS
[MED: Maastricht, December 13]
Maastricht's Cardiovascular Research Institute (CARIM) and
IncyteGenomics from California have agreed to cooperate on genomic research into
cardiovascular disease. CARIM and Incyte will carry out a number of experiments to
determine the role genes play in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular
disease. Researchers at CARIM will have access to two of the world's best documented
sources of information on the human genome, Incyte's LifeSeq® Gold genesequential
database and the Life Express TM statement database. CARIM will provide samples from
experimental and clinical research. Professor Harry Struijker Boudier, Scientific Director
at CARIM, says "Access to Incyte's genomics technology including the gene statement
information and highly advanced micro-arrays will increase our knowledge of the genetics
of cardiovascular disease. Chip technology from micro-arrays offers maximum information on
the genome."
http://www.pers.unimaas.nl
BIOTEC BUSINESS PLATFORM
[MED: Aachen, December 7]
The first meeting of the Biotec Business Platform for North
Rhine Westphalia (NRW) and the Netherlands was held in Aachen at the invitation of the
Consul General of the Netherlands in Dusseldorf and the Aachen Development company, AGIT.
Among the twenty selected biotechnology companies from NRW and NL, five came from
Meuse-Rhine. They were: Chemagen, DSM Biotech, Innotides, DASGIP and Rhein Biotech. The
meeting was designed to develop networking and concrete cooperation between the two
countries.
Contact: u.schelhaas@agit.de
http://www.agit.de
PHILIPS PLASTICS IN LOMMEL (B)
[TECH: Lommel, November]
The Dutch Philips group has invested EUR 14.87m in their
high-tech plastics operation, transferring it from Eindhoven to Lommel. The Lommel plant
will feature as a Global Competence Center for high-tech plastics and will be known as
Philips Enabling Technologies Group (Belgium). The investment will provide new offices and
allow the upgrading of existing areas to clean room status.
http://www.gomlimburg.be
DIGITAL BUSINESS PARKS
[TECH: Hasselt, October/November]
The October issue of the monthly information magazine
produced by the GOM in Belgian Limburg gives an overview of business park sites in Belgian
Limburg. The survey covers an area of slightly more than 10,000 ha. - 78.5 per cent is
zoned for industry and 21.5 per cent for SMEs. At the beginning of the year, 75.5 per cent
of the available area was already spoken for. Currently these business parks are viewable
in digital map form. GOM Limburg, the Province of Belgian Limburg and Interelectra
have combined existing data and databanks in a Geographical Information System (GIS), able
to provide a large-scale, highly detailed map of the business parks. The digital system
will have processed 6,360 ha by the end of December and the project will be completed by
end December 2001/start 2002.
http://www.gomlimburg.be
LEISURE
ANTIQUES FAIR IN HASSELT
[LEI: Hasselt, December 19]
Saturday 17 through February 25, 2001 will see the Hasselt
Antiques Fair at the Granslandhallen with participation of 100 galleries and major antique
dealers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France. The selected participants are
professional dealers in antique furniture, art and collectables and include the Paris
dealer Alain Atlan, Innocente Antiques from Rotterdam and many Belgian stands. Hasselt, in
the heart of the Meuse-Rhine, expects more than 25,000 visitors this year. Styles
represented will be the French and English court styles and regional production from the
workshops of Germany, the Northern Netherlands and the Principality of Liège. Furniture
from early periods to the 20th century and a collection of Anatolian, Persian and
Caucasian carpets will make this 18th Hasselt Antiques Fair highly interesting. An
exhibition of faience, porcelain, tiles, tiled ovens and pharmaceutical receptacles will
be a focal point. Certificates of authenticity will be supplied. Opening hours are
14.00-19.00 hrs on weekdays and from 11.00 - 19.00 hrs in the weekend. Price of entry is
BEF 250 (EUR 6.20).
http://www.artexis.com
OPEN DAY IN HASSELT
[LEI: Hasselt, December]
The city museums in Hasselt open the new season with an
open day on Sunday January 28. The National Jenever (Gin) Museum, Stedelijk Museum
Stellingwerff-Waerdenhof and Modemuseum (Fashion) will be open free of charge from
10.00-15.00 hrs. The Jenever Museum will have an alcoholic accent, as may be expected.
Stellingwerff-Waerdenhof will look at tobacco and early photography among other things and
the Modemuseum will look at the work of Christian Dior. The Modemuseum also has a focus on
the bosom, no doubt recalling the memorable comment of the Goncourt brothers who believed
that the depth of the cleavage was an indicator of the height of a civilization.
http://www.hasselt.be
SKI VACATIONS
[LEI: Eupen, December]
The Tourist Authority of East Belgium has provided a useful
of overview of the weather and ensures potential visitors that winter is on its way. The
snow has already begun to fall. A 24-hour snow line is available with information from
East Belgium on 00.32.80.22.76.64.
The current forecast is for five periods with 30 days of
skiing.
http://www.eastbelgium.com
VINTAGE CARS AND GYPSY TUNES
[LEI: Maastricht, December]
Among the attractions offered by the MECC in the New Year
is Interclassics Maastricht, an exhibition of vintage and veteran automobiles ranging from
Rolls Royces to the star of the show, a 1938 Talbot Largo made for the pretender to the
Portuguese throne the Duke of Braganza. The exhibition is from January 12 through 14.
January 23 will see a performance by 100 gypsy violinists at the MECC. Then at the end of
the month there will be the annual Catering Trades Fair (BBB) on January 29 through
February 1.
http://www.mecc.nl
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