Contact our invest officers via our website: http://www.investinflanders.be With great expertise in the field of industrial biotechnology, Flanders plays a leading role in creating a biobased economy. Europe’s chemical industry is at a crucial crossroads, ready to seize the major opportunity of using biomass as a resource for chemicals, materials and energy. The biobased economy is developing rapidly and is here to stay. Flanders goes to great lengths to specialize in this domain to secure its position at the heart of one of the world’s biggest chemical clusters.

1. FLANDERS’
Reap the rewards of a growing business

2. 2
Europe’s chemical industry is at a crucial crossroads, ready to seize the major
opportunity of using biomass as a resource for chemicals, materials and energy. The
biobased economy is developing rapidly and is here to stay, that much is certain.
With great expertise in the field of industrial biotechnology, Flanders plays a
leading role in creating a biobased economy. What’s more, the region goes to
great lengths to specialize in this domain to secure its position at the heart
of one of the world’s biggest chemical clusters. Flipping through these pages,
you will discover why Flanders is:
• a pioneer in industrial biotechnology;
• a reference in pilot and demonstration infrastructures;
• home to a strong (chemical) industry;
• bursting with diverse and innovative biomass feedstocks;
• a backbone of international biobased activities.
Also, you will learn how all of this opens up a realm of possibilities for your business,
research and activities. You will find out how expertise and knowledge go hand in
hand with biobased operations in Flanders through a local, high-potential biobased
ecosystem.
A SNEAK PEEK INTO
FLANDERS’ BIOBASED
ECOSYSTEM
FEEDSTOCK ENABLERS MARKET
Strong agro-food industries
Cargill, Tereos-Syral,
Tiense Suikerraffinaderij,
Citrique Belge, etc.
Major recycling hub
Promising value chains
Know-how
Universities of Ghent,
Leuven, Antwerp, etc.
Research institutes
and expertise centers
such as VITO, ILVO,
VIB, INAGRO, etc.
Infrastructure
Ports of Ghent and
Antwerp, Bio Base
Europe Pilot Plant,
Food Pilot, chemical
pilot installations
like Agfa, etc.
Strong chemical
industry
Major food
industry
Cluster and other key organizations
Ghent Bio-Economy Valley, FlandersBio, FISCH,
GBEV, I-Cleantech Flanders, Flanders’ Food, FCA,
Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship, etc.
Numerous SMEs connecting biobased resources, research and industry

3. A PIONEER IN
INDUSTRIAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Right from the beginning, Flanders has been at the heart of biotechnological and
biobased innovation: from pioneering biotech businesses — Citrique Belge, for instance,
has been biologically producing citric acid since 1916 — to the groundbreaking molecular
research by World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Marc Van Montagu (Ghent University).
Today, Flanders’ steady crosspollination between biobased research and business only
continues to gain momentum.
WHERE KNOWLEDGE MEETS BUSINESS
Accounting for 1% of all biotech patents worldwi-
de, Flanders has gained a strong research foothold
and hosts various research groups, laboratories and
infrastructures in all domains of biotech expertise.
These range from enzyme and microorganism isola-
tion, microbial genetics and bioinformatics, to syn-
thetic and molecular biology, bioprocess or fermen-
tation technology, biocatalysis, and downstream
and upstream processing.
As a result from this strong focus on biotechno-
logy, the biobased sector is thriving in Flanders. The
13,500 km2
region is home to more than 130 com-
panies with biotech activities — 7% of all European
biotech businesses — employing over 13,000 people.
EASY ACCESS TO RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
Flanders’ five universities and numerous knowledge
and research centers are easily accessible for indus-
try collaboration: from the VIB life sciences research
institute to the VITO institute for technological re-
search.
BUSINESS AND RESEARCH IN PRACTICE:
GLOBALYEAST
In 2015, VIB and Brazilian venture capital firm Per-
forma Investimentos co-created GlobalYeast. Based
on the science platform of founding professor Jo-
han Thevelein, the spin-off develops superior indus-
trial yeast strains. CEO Marcelo do Amaral: “Why we
decided to invest in Flanders? The region has solid
biotech foundations, boasts ultramodern facilities,
develops and attracts strong talents, and connects
us with a vibrant community of companies, acade-
mics and entrepreneurs.”
AMBITIOUS GOVERNMENT,
NETWORKING AND FUNDING
By 2030, Flanders aims to be one of Europe’s most
competitive, innovative and sustainable biobased
economies. As such, the Government of Flanders
actively supports biotech innovation. Flanders also
features an industrial biotech cluster initiative
through the CINBIOS network, comprising over 300
companies, funding agencies and knowledge cen-
ters. Furthermore, CINBIOS partner FISCH, Flanders’
innovation hub for sustainable chemistry, enables
the identification and subsidization of innovation
projects.
UNIQUE R&D INCENTIVES
Companies deciding to set up R&D activities in Flan-
ders can benefit from a vast array of fiscal and fi-
nancial incentives, unparalleled in Europe. Flanders
not only subsidizes innovative projects, the region
also offers a number of useful tax incentives for
R&D staff, activities and investments. Some of the
most appreciated R&D incentives include:
• Partial exemption from withholding tax for
researchers;
• Patent income deduction.
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4. 4
“
A REFERENCE IN PILOT
AND DEMONSTRATION
INFRASTRUCTURES
To help you translate R&D results into viable biobased products
or processes, Flanders boasts several cutting-edge pilot and
demonstration infrastructures, such as Bio Base Europe Pilot
Plant located at the Port of Ghent.
STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY
BioBaseEurope(BBE)PilotPlanthelpsindustryplay-
ers and research institutes with the development,
scale-up and custom manufacturing of biobased
processes and products. BBE Pilot Plant in a nutshell:
• Independent, transparent partner: as an
independent organization, the plant operates
with full confidentiality, while the customers’
presence during pilot trials ensures a seamless
technology transfer with its costumers.
• Expert in scale-up: seasoned engineers,
operators and technicians guarantee a fast
and efficient scale-up of your activities.
• Flexible provider: the pilot plant performs
bioprocesses from kilogram to multi-ton scale,
builds customized process lines using a wide
spectrum of modular operation units, and
designs project outlines to suit your needs.
• One-stop shop: the entire production
chain — from feedstock to final refined
products — is performed within one single
facility, using technologies such as biomass
pretreatment, biocatalysis, fermentation,
green chemistry, biorefining and purification.
EUROPEAN FRONTRUNNER
In 2014, the European Commission selected BBE
Pilot Plant as one of four European multi-KETs pilot
production demonstration projects. The plant ser-
ves as an international example of how to combine
several KETs (Key Enabling Technologies) to boost
Europe’s competitiveness. The ‘SmartPilots’ project,
for example, brings together Europe’s leading pilot
facilities and their respective regional authorities.
The aim? To improve regional policies in support
of shared pilot facilities.
CASE STUDY: BIO BASE NWE AND CELTIC
RENEWABLES
In 2013, the European Commission launched Bio Base
NWE to further stimulate a biobased economy in
northwestern Europe. 27 SMEs received an ‘innovation
voucher’ representing EUR 30,000 for feasibility
studies and scale-up work at BBE Pilot Plant. One
of these companies was Celtic Renewables (UK). The
spin-off developed a process to convert residues from
the whiskey industry into advanced bio-butanol. In
2013, Celtic Renewables called in BBE Pilot Plant to
work on this process at lab scale. Today, the company
can start building the world’s first production plant
dedicated to this cutting-edge process.
THE NUMBERS TELL THE TALE
Fully operational since December 2012, BBE Pilot
Plant has an impressive track record. Between 2013
and 2015, it successfully:
• partnered with 71 SMEs and large enterprises
on 129 projects;
• participated in 15 European and 5 Flanders-
based public projects and thus interacted
with 85 companies and research institutes.
THROUGH BIO BASE
EUROPE PILOT PLANT,
FLANDERS TAKES POLE
POSITION IN INDUSTRIAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY.”
– Prof. Wim Soetaert,
Managing Director of BBEPP.
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5. HOME TO A
STRONG (CHEMICAL)
INDUSTRY
Flanders showcases major industrial strengths, coupled with a large pool of SMEs
connecting the region’s industry with biobased resources and research. This is
ideal for biobased applications in various fields: from bulk chemicals and biofuels
to fine chemicals, biomaterials, and agro and food products.
MAJOR CHEMICAL SECTOR
Home to one of the world’s largest petrochemical
clusters (Antwerp), Flanders also houses various large-
scale fermentation facilities in the agro, food and
bio-fuel industries. Add to that the region’s strong life
sciences, plastics, pharmaceutical and oleochemical
sectors, and it is easy to see how the region opens up
many value chains for industrial biotech applications.
LEVERAGING A SOLID INDUSTRIAL BASE
Biobased materials are found in applications as
diverse as packaging materials, clothing and plastics.
In Flanders, you will find a broad network of multi-
nationals and SMEs specializing in materials proces-
sing, most notably in the field of synthetic materials,
textile and wood, paper and cardboard.
What is more, Flanders is renowned for its food
industry. This sector is one of the region’s largest
employers and showcases major trends, including a
growing demand for healthy foods and proteins, re-
source efficiency and sustainable production proces-
ses, continuous innovation in food packaging, and
further integration of agriculture, food production
and distribution.
STRONG INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERING
Apart from the Antwerp petrochemical cluster,
Flanders also features a strong biotech cluster in
and around the Port of Ghent. Two examples:
• Ghent Bio-Economy Valley is a leading European
cluster supporting the development of a
biobased economy;
• The Ghent-based Rodenhuizedok biorefinery
cluster is Europe’s largest integrated bio-energy
production complex, hosting the production of
bio-ethanol, biodiesel and bio-electricity under
one roof.
LEADING BIOTECH CLUSTER
Flanders is home to one of Europe’s leading bio-
tech clusters in terms of market capitalization, em-
ployment as well as R&D investment and licensing
deals. Strongly R&D-driven, Flanders’ biotech sec-
tor leverages innovative biotechnologies to develop
novel medical solutions, crops, chemical compo-
nents, enzymes, etc. In addition, local networking
organization FlandersBio goes to great lengths
to support the sector’s sustainable development
as a strong driver of economic growth in Flanders.
CASE STUDY: ARCELORMITTAL
In a world first, ArcelorMittal is investing EUR 87 million
into the construction of a biorefinery. The aim is to convert
blast furnace gases into biofuels at its steel plant in Ghent,
Flanders. Using LanzaTech carbon recycling technology,
steel-making waste gases will be reused and fermented
with a proprietary microbe to produce bioethanol.
GHENT
ANTWERP
That was the
annual turnover of
Flanders’ chemical,
synthetic materials
and life sciences
industries in 2014.
EUR
42
billion
Totaling EUR 1.4 billion
in R&D investments
in 2014, the chemical
sector represents nearly
50% of industrial R&D
in Flanders.
±
50%
Source:EssensciaVlaanderen
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6. 6
BURSTING WITH DIVERSE
AND INNOVATIVE
BIOMASS FEEDSTOCKS
Flanders has secured a unique and competitive biomass feedstock posi-
tion. Not only is there a high availability of diverse feedstock resources,
the region also excels at generating second and even third-generation
feedstocks.
STRONG FOOTHOLD IN AGRO-FOOD,
SUGAR AND STARCH
Flanders is home to several world-leading compa-
nies in the sugar and starch industry, and boasts
a strongly developed agro-food sector overall. Many
local agricultural businesses cultivate sugar beets
and corn — providing valuable resources for indus-
trial biotechnology. What is more, enhanced cultiva-
tion techniques and the improvement of crop seeds
further increase yields.
PROMISING VALUE CHAINS
Flanders has extensive know-how in innovative bio-
mass generation processes, including gasification,
fermentation, chemical conversion and biorefining.
Thanks to its strong chemical industry and agro-
food sector, four promising biomass value chains
particularly stand out in the region:
• theproductionoffinechemicalsfromsugars,starchand
so on;
• the development of second-generation sugars;
• the use of lignin-rich resources for the
production of materials and chemicals with
high added value;
• the conversion of carbonaceous (waste) gases
into chemicals.
MAJOR RECYCLING HUB
Flanders is a European leader in waste separation
and processing of organic waste and plastic
packaging. Nearly three quarters of all residential
waste produced in the region is reused, recycled or
composted. By 2020, Flanders aims to further reduce
the amount of residual waste by 15%, which will
translate into a vast amount of additional organic
waste that can be used as feedstock for the biobased
industry.
(INTERNATIONAL) ACCESS TO BIOMASS
STREAMS
Through the ports of Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrug-
ge, Flanders attracts major cargo streams, such as
agricultural bulk. The ports also offer a gateway to
lignocellulose as a biomass feedstock. As such, ligno-
cellulose material can be sourced internationally in
the form of wood pellets, wood chips, etc.
These materials also provide lignin, ready for co-fi-
ring, while offering future possibilities in the pro-
duction of aromatic chemicals. Flanders’ institute
for technological research (VITO) is currently resear-
ching these possibilities, which should be ready for
commercialization by 2025. A collaboration between
VITO, several universities, and Flanders-based and
international industries, the project aims to develop
innovative biobased and eco-friendly molecules and
materials.
FEEDSTOCK INNOVATION IN PRACTICE:
AQUATIC FEEDSTOCK
Since 2008, chemical company Proviron leverages
a unique technology for the production of micro-
algae in photobioreactors at the Hooge Maey land-
fill site in Antwerp, Flanders. Biobased raw materials
are extracted from these algae for various applicati-
ons in the region’s chemical industry, thus replacing
fossil fuel raw materials.
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7. 7
A BACKBONE OF
INTERNATIONAL
BIOBASED ACTIVITIES
With three seaports, three international airports and a dense network
of pipelines, roads, railroads and inland waterways, Flanders offers a
strong and — above all — globally oriented logistics network. In additi-
on, the region is ideally situated between the Netherlands, France and
Germany, three nations with significant biotech strengths.
OPENING UP MAJOR BIOBASED MARKET POTENTIAL
Flanders is located at the heart of the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr Area (ARRRA) — Europe’s strongest
industrial mega-cluster — offering great market demand for industrial biotechnology. The region also holds
a competitive position within the BIG-C region — the ‘Bio Innovation Growth Mega Cluster’, which includes
Flanders, the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Port of Zeebrugge
Port of Antwerp
• Part of the world’s biggest petrochemical cluster
(ARRRA)
• Flanders’ institute for technological research (VITO)
and dedicated collaborations with several universities,
including Antwerp University
• Various chemical companies with high added value,
including activities such as pharmaceutics and food
additives
• Strong waste management companies and skills (e.g.
Indaver)
• Numerous biobased companies; Lawter, Transfuran
Chemicals, OWS, etc.
Port of Ghent
• Port for biomass import, with Europe’s largest
dedicated integrated bio-energy production cluster at
Rodenhuizedok
• Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant
• CINBIOS industrial biotech cluster
• Ghent Bio-Economy Valley
• FlandersBio, biotech networking organization
• Biobased companies such as Stora Enso, Oleon and
Cargill
• VIB life sciences institute
• Dedicated collaborations with Ghent University, etc.
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8. CONTACT
Koning Albert II-laan 37
BE-1030 Brussels | Belgium
T. +32 2 504 87 11
E. info@fitagency.be
@InvestFlanders
PARTNERS
This document was created in collaboration with the following partner organizations.
The Government of Flanders is eager
to facilitate initiatives and companies
that help shape the biobased economy
within the region. Need expert advice
or more information on Flanders’ assets
in industrial biotechnology? Contact
Flanders Investment & Trade, the go-to
organization for international business
in Flanders.
March2016|Responsiblepublisher:ClaireTillekaerts|KoningAlbertII-laan37|BE-1030Brussels–Belgium
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