There is an abundance of suppliers focused on leading-edge technologies. The diversity of manufacturers and assembly plants has over the years produced a rich network of automotive parts suppliers and service providers in Belgium.

Today approximately 300 companies create added value for the automotive industry. They are engaged in a large range of activities: from research and design to production, testing and certification. Many of the suppliers are small- and medium-sized enterprises that frequently work together. They form a strong network, whether clustered or not around the assembly plants. On top of that, renowned research centers and universities drive the knowledge-intensive Belgian economy. Together with the industry, they are on a continuous search for new technologies that can help shape the future.

Colleges and universities here have been graduating highly qualified and specialized young people for decades. The Belgian automotive workforce is renowned for its hands-on attitude, its customer and quality focus and overall automotive mind. Several research institutions, each with their own focus, perform far-reaching research for the automotive industry – from ride and control systems, via new materials and alternative energy sources, to electronics and ICT for vehicles.

Finally, Belgium is the ideal bridgehead for companies wanting to make inroads in Europe. First of all there is its location: right in the middle of the most prosperous and industrialized region in Europe, with direct access to all the surrounding markets. And then there is its infrastructure with one of the most modern and densest networks of roads, railroads and waterways in the world. Home to the largest transshipment port for new cars on the continent, Belgium also has three other seaports, a national airport and several regional airports.

Innovation is a hot topic for the many companies that supply the automotive industry. “Agoria Automotive works closely together with Flanders’DRIVE, the innovation platform and partner in innovation for the vehicle industry,” Vandervreken continues. “Flanders’ DRIVE focuses mainly on three priorities: light weight materials, alternative powertrains and active safety. We want to create clusters around these in order to share the R&D efforts and to develop new modules and components. This will allow us to further strengthen the rich network of suppliers. Agoria Automotive encourages suppliers to make optimal use of their know-how and experience and thus become true partners with the automotive industry.”

The automobile industry is very important for Belgium. Every year over 700,000 cars and over 40,000 commercial vehicles, buses and coaches roll off the assembly lines. Belgium has one of the highest motor vehicle production per capita in the world. The export ratio for assembled vehicles exceeds 80%. Directly and indirectly nearly 10% of the Belgian workforce is employed by the automotive industry. The influence of the organizations that represent the latter’s interests should therefore not be underestimated.

Agoria Automotive is a division of the technology industry association Agoria, set up to represent the Belgian automotive industry. Agoria Automotive defends the interests of the manufacturers of cars, buses, trucks, trailers and supply industry.