essenscia

WORLD CHAMPION
Belgium, a world champion for chemicals and plastics

BIOPHARMA
Belgium, the place to be for biopharma

- Belgium is the n°1 chemical country in the world on a per capita basis
- The chemical and life sciences industries, the champions of R&D investments in Europe
- Greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of product down 66% in 20 years
- 20,000 people needed over the next decade to compensate for retirements
- Belgium in Top 10 of the most innovative pharma valleys worldwide (Nature, 2010)
- Chemistry & life sciences: the largest export sector in Belgium
- 100% of school leavers with a science degree find a job within a year
- Belgium, a unique logistical platform in the heart of Europe
- Belgium : the highest number of phase 1 clinical trials in Europe per capita
- A highly qualified workforce: around 40% of employees in the chemical and life sciences industry have a higher degree (university and higher schools)
- Two-thirds of the world’s top chemical companies have chosen to invest in Belgium
- The sector accounts for more than half of total R&D expenditures in the manufacturing sector
- The largest number of medicines in development in the world per capita
- 25% of all researchers in the Belgian private sector are working in the chemicals and life sciences fields
- One of the highest productivity rates in the world (« The Conference Board » 2010)
- 30 million tons of products produced by the Belgian chemical industry are transported by pipeline each year
- «On four indicators for innovation and industrial development, Belgium is by far the best performing country» (OECD Study 2006)

Agenda

Key facts