The Liège region has the assets required to become the benchmark biologistics platform in Europe.

"In 2007 we started discussions with the Groupe de Redéploiement Economique (GRE - Economic Redeployment Group) in order to coordinate the assets in the region in terms of biotechnologies and logistics", explained Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of Economics, Employment and Foreign Trade in Wallonia. There is a significant amount of biomedical activity in the Liège region, including the Wallonia Biotech Coaching (WBC) business incubator and the GIGA research centre at the University of Liège.

Liège Airport is already a partner in the project and has very useful assets. It is the hub for the TNT courier company and specialises in the transportation of perishable goods (with refrigerated storage areas and permanent phytosanitary monitoring).

According to a study conducted by Infraco Consulting for the GRE, the Liège region has the most economic potential out of any European region in this rapidly expanding area (9% annual growth). Over a period of 10 years, Liège Biologistics could generate the creation of 44 new companies, representing investments of 100 million euros of foreign capital and the creation of 900 direct and 1400 spinoff jobs.

In order to achieve this, a strategic plan has been set up: it includes creating an operational coordination unit, a gateway between the two current centres of excellence in the Marshall Plan, namely Logistics in Wallonia (logistics) and BioWin (life sciences); developing partnerships with Memphis and Singapore, the two major global biologistics hubs and preparing facilities that are suitable for foreign investment. In 2008, the operation will benefit from an initial start-up investment of €250,000, but "the Marshall Plan funds are there to provide appropriate responses to the requests of the investors."

VERS L’AVENIR - 20.03.08

http://www.biologeurope.com/