​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishECONOMY, HEALTHJanssen Pharmaceutica to lay off between 125 and 148 staff in Beerse 27 September 2024 Between 125 and 148 jobs will be cut at Janssen Pharmaceutica's site in Beerse That announced the pharmaceutical company at a special works council meeting on Friday There was already a similar reorganisation in the spring of 2023 Within the logistics department of the Beerse site the so-called supply chain that mainly involves physical work A total of 5,309 people work for Janssen at different sites in Belgium Janssen is part of the American company Johnson & Johnson That company stated in a comment that it must “adapt to continue to meet the needs of patients in the future” “We are developing activities in a complex and rapidly changing environment,” added Johnson & Johnson A key Johnson & Johnson patent on the anti-inflammatory drug Stelara one of the company's most profitable medicines a lot of countries are cutting subsidies for research into new drugs Johnson & Johnson promises to support all affected employees it wants to guide them in retraining so that they can also qualify for open vacancies The unions and management will meet in the coming days #FlandersNewsService | Logo of pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceutica's site in Beerse © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu This page may not display properly to you because your browser is no longer supported or it is an outdated version we recommend that you use the latest version of Chrome multimetal producer Aurubis celebrated the go-live of the ASPA plant at its site in Beerse (Belgium) this new state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical process is another prime example of Aurubis’ innovative strength We are pioneering sustainable multimetal production and are now taking recycling to the next level,” COO Multimetal Recyling Inge Hofkens stated The ASPA facility will process anode sludge a valuable intermediate product from electrolytic copper refining produced at the Aurubis recycling sites in Beerse and Lünen (Germany) The new process delivers two major benefits: the faster extraction of more precious metals as well as the full recovery of tin from the anode sludge With this investment of around € 33 million the company is committing to further developing Aurubis Beerse and to connecting the European sites even more strongly than before Aurubis is creating even more synergies by optimizing the intermediate material flows “I am proud to be opening the new ASPA facility today; it is a true achievement for the Aurubis Beerse team after years of dedication The successful start-up of ASPA directly results from the expertise and metallurgical know-how but also from team spirit and a profound commitment to the circular economy,” Managing Director of Aurubis Beerse Dirk Vandenberghe said Chief Operations Officer Multimetal Recycling ASPA is one of the major investment projects in the Aurubis strategic roadmap strengthening its position as one of the most efficient and sustainable integrated smelter networks worldwide “Metal recycling is a growth area for Aurubis and Aurubis is increasingly distinguishing itself as an essential cornerstone in the European circular economy To emphasize our ambitions: In addition to ASPA we are also opening a completely new recycling site in Georgia and another recycling plant to recover valuable metals like nickel and copper at the Olen site in Belgium,” COO Inge Hofkens said Aurubis is creating about 20 additional jobs in Beerse where around 500 colleagues work in total “With the realization of the ASPA project Aurubis Beerse is living up to its intentions; with an eye to the future it is ensuring the more efficient use of our raw materials and a more environmentally friendly approach A great and sustainable investment,” Mayor of the municipality of Beerse Bart Craane concluded The plant in Beerse processes more than 200,000 tons of multimetal scrap annually — ranging from complex residues to higher-grade scrap types — from which metals Since the acquisition of the sites in Beerse and Berango in 2020 Aurubis has further expanded its role as one of the world’s leading copper recyclers and now processes a total of more than 1 million tons of recycling materials per year Um die heruntergeladene Komponente zu sehen den QR code scannen Metals producer and recycler Aurubis has commissioned a new plant in Beerse Belgium that uses a hydrometallurgical process to more quickly extract tin and precious metals from anode sludge The group said that it had invested around €33m in the ASPA (Advanced Sludge Processing by Aurubis) plant in an announcement issued last week "a valuable intermediate product" of electrolytic copper refining activities at the group's recycling sites in Beerse and Lünen Aurubis "is committing to further developing [the Beerse site] and to connecting the European sites even more strongly than before" Optimising the intermediate material flows creates "even more synergies" The state-of-the-art ASPA process was fully developed in-house and "is another prime example of the company’s innovative strength" "We are pioneering sustainable multimetal production and are now taking recycling to the next level," commented Inge Hofkens added: "The successful start-up of ASPA directly results from the expertise and metallurgical know-how but also from team spirit and a profound commitment to the circular economy." the new process is both a faster and more effective method of extracting precious metals from anode sludge and is able to fully recover tin from the metal production by-product ASPA is one of the major investment projects in its strategic roadmap and strengthens the group’s position "as one of the most efficient and sustainable integrated smelter networks worldwide" Metal recycling is "a growth area for Aurubis" adding that the group also plans to open a new recycling site in the US state of Georgia which will process around 180,000 tonnes of metal-containing recyclable materials a year as of 2026 Aurubis is constructing another recycling facility to extract metals such as nickel and copper from the electrolyte stream (known as the "bleed") generated in the course of metal production in Beerse and Olen Construction of the "BOB" plant (Bleed treatment Olen Beerse) was launched in March 2023 Aurubis put the total investment volume for this project at €70m With the start-up of the ASPA plant in Beerse which Aurubis started building at the end of 2022 the company is creating approximately 20 new jobs the Belgian facility has around 500 employees and processes around 250,000 tonnes per year of multimetal scrap ranging from complex residues to higher-grade scrap types Since the acquisition of the Beerse and Berango sites in 2020 Aurubis has had a global processing capacity of more than 1 million tonnes per year of recycling materials Customer Service+49 7224 9397-701servicenoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.de Editorial Team+49 7224 9397-0recyclingnoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.com Get the latest news about developments and trends in the industry sent to you once a week free of charge by newsletter Sign up for our newsletter We use cookies and external services on our website others enhance your user experience or help us improve this website You can change your privacy settings any time by clicking privacy policy Necessary cookies are required for the correct functioning of the website Content from video and social media platforms is blocked by default. If access to these services is accepted, separate consent is no longer required when using them. You can find more information on the individual external services in our privacy policy The ASPA facility enhances the recycling of metal from sludge reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills German supplier of non-ferrous metals and copper recycler Aurubis AG has opened a new Advanced Sludge Processing by Aurubis (ASPA) recycling plant at Beerse Belgium with an investment of €33m ($36.6m) The new facility will process anode sludge a valuable intermediate product from electrolytic copper refining produced at the Aurubis recycling sites at Beerse The new process will help the faster extraction of more precious metals as well as the full recovery of tin from the anode sludge the company aims to become a “cornerstone in the European circular economy” through their development of metal recycling methods She added that the effort in Belgium is being replicated in other locations “we are also opening a completely new recycling site in Georgia and another recycling plant to recover valuable metals like nickel and copper at the Olen site in Belgium.” the plant is the product of “years of dedication.” He credited ASPA’s success to “the expertise from the metallurgical know-know but also from the team spirit and a profound commitment to the circular economy.” Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Beeser Mayor Cart Craane was proud of Aurubis for “living up to its intentions” and “ensuring the more efficient use of our raw materials and a more environmentally friendly approach.” More than 200,000 tons of multimetal scrap ranging from complex wastes to higher-grade scrap types from which metals are processed annually at the Beerse facility After acquiring the locations in Beerse and Berango in 2020 Aurubis has grown even further to become one of the top recyclers of copper in the world processing over a million tons of recyclables annually Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. Melissa BeerseClass: SeniorHometown: Morrow, OhioHigh School:Little MiamiPosition: Pole VaultBioMediaBioBioMediaTeam captain...returns to the team after receiving a medical redshirt in 2010. This page may not display properly to you because your browser is no longer supported or it is an outdated version. For the best user experience, we recommend that you use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. Perhaps you’ve already seen them: our colorful graffiti walls in Beerse or the sea containers in Olen. In the spring of 2023, two sea containers at Aurubis Olen were transformed into beautiful artworks. Recently, some company walls in Beerse were painted, uniquely showcasing our business and values. In honor of Artist’s Day, we spoke with Pieter Van den Bergh (Piroeh One) and Valerie Peeraer (Communications Manager Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse). Today 16th October, Janssen Pharmaceutica, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has taken a remarkable step towards sustainability by launching a geothermal power plant on its Beerse Campus. This initiative represents a significant collaboration with the European Union that holds paramount importance in the pursuit of environmental objectives. This endeavor, though technologically advanced, is not just about harnessing Earth's natural heat; it's about reducing CO2 emissions in Belgium by a substantial 30%, contributing significantly to environmental conservation. This project exemplifies the principle of shared management – where the private sector, regional governments, and the EU unite to drive an initiative. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) provided financial support to this project, symbolizing the EU's steadfast commitment to its regions. Hans Van de Water will succeed Dirk Vandenberghe as Managing Director of Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse/Berango. As of September 16, he will assume responsibility as Managing Director for the two Belgian Aurubis plants in Olen and Beerse and the Spanish site in Berango. The sites belong to the Aurubis Group, a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. Aurubis offers what I am looking for in an organization: a financially strong company growing sustainably with important investments for a successful future, as well as strong local roots combined with the economies of scale of an international group ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishGENERALJanssen Pharmaceutica to lay off 154 staff in Beerse30 March 2023 Janssen Pharmaceutica will make 154 employees redundant at its site in Beerse the socialist trade union ABVV confirmed on Thursday the company announced that 200 jobs were at risk "These are all quality jobs that are disappearing," said ABVV representative Serge Seret "We remain opposed to the strategic cuts within the Research and Development Department there will likely not be any actions." The union refers to the social plan that Janssen Pharmaceutica has prepared involving voluntary redundancies and an active search for new jobs for the people affected "Given the high qualifications among those employees there is a good chance they will find work again," Seret said Janssen Pharmaceutica could not be reached for comment the company reported that it wanted to strategically review its Research & Development portfolio It launched an information and consultation round with social partners #FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM non-ferrous metals provider Aurubis broke ground at its Beerse site in Belgium and officially started construction on its state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical recycling plant ASPA (Advanced Sludge Processing by Aurubis) that is set to be commissioned in fiscal year 2024/25 the company is committing to developing Aurubis Beerse ASPA strengthens Aurubis’ position as the most efficient and sustainable integrated smelter network worldwide Metal recycling is a growth area for Aurubis This is how we significantly contribute to the circular economy Our metals are the foundation for the urgently needed progress in the green energy transition “ASPA demonstrates our clear commitment to our long-term strategy to strengthen and secure our core business and to take the lead in sustainability in our industry.”   The new process will enable faster extraction of more precious metals as well as full recovery of tin from the anode sludge “By systematically connecting the European sites with ASPA and optimizing the intermediate material flows Aurubis is creating synergies in the Group,” said Dr “Our local know-how and expertise directly enrich society as well: We are creating new jobs in the Flanders region with our investment in the recycling sector.” “Today’s groundbreaking emphasizes that Aurubis plays an important global role in metal recycling It shows that the industry is highly dynamic I am proud that Aurubis is part of the municipality of Beerse and I am looking forward to our further collaboration in the years to come” Maybe you have already tasted them or heard about them: our Aurubis pralines A unique story lies behind these chocolates Our chocolates are made by the non-profit organisation TWERK which makes artisan chocolate and offers people with autism work in an inclusive environment.  our colleague Carla designed the first chocolates in her own kitchen the non-profit organisation has been making pralines for Aurubis What started small has now grown into a tasty treat and a sustainable partnership Carla: Sustainability is indeed a core value for Aurubis and we see this reflected in our partnership with TWERK we are committed to an inclusive environment taking care of both the environment and our employees together we make a positive impact for people with autism.  Visit TWERK's website for more info:  www.twerk.be From left to right: Els Lievens (HR Director Aurubis Olen), Seppe Bouquillon (Mayor of Olen) and Dirk Vandenberghe (Managing Director Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse) kicked-off the construction works of Aurubis' state-of-the-art and energy-efficient BOB (Bleed treatment Olen Beerse) This additional recycling facility allows us to cover the full production cycle in-house – a true milestone for the Olen plant Dirk Vandenberghe, Managing Director of Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse, says. Commissioning of the new facility with an overall investment volume of around € 70 million is anticipated for the second half of 2024. Aurubis expects to see an annual EBITDA contribution of € 15 million once the plant is fully operational in fiscal year 2025/26. In a hydrometallurgical process, BOB will recover valuable metals such as nickel and copper contained in the electrolyte streams generated in the tankhouses during metal production at the Aurubis sites in Beerse and Olen (both in Belgium). “Our metals play a key role in the green energy transition, in electric mobility, and in an increasingly digitalized world,” Dirk Vandenberghe adds. Along with BOB, Aurubis is also currently building its new ASPA recycling plant in Beerse. “These projects enable us to optimally process valuable metals in dynamic and continuously changing recycling markets as well as input materials. This is how we strengthen our core business and substantially contribute to the European circular economy,” Hofkens says. Around 670 people work at the high-performance metal recycling site in Olen, and roughly 470 are employed at Aurubis Beerse. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishHEALTH, INNOVATIONPharma company Johnson & Johnson to drop Janssen brand name15 September 2023 US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson is making some historic changes the company's logo is getting a thorough facelift and it is renaming its medical division J&J Innovative Medicine referring to Janssen Pharmaceutica in Beerse The name remained the banner of the entire division even after global expansion within J&J "The Janssen brand will be phased out over the next few years to become J&J Innovative Medicine iconic name is enormous," said CEO Joaquin Duato The announcement comes several months after J&J decided to spin off its over-the-counter healthcare business under Kenvue J&J still has two businesses: pharmaceuticals and medical devices J&J is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies with a market capitalisation of nearly 400 billion dollars A new site is under construction in Ghent to enable cell therapy treatments for blood cancer patients The division had sales of 53 billion dollars last year and has dozens of drugs on the market including Stelara for autoimmune diseases and Darzalex for blood cancer #FlandersNewsService | © ANP / Hollandse Hoogte / Peter Hilz a leading global multimetal producer and one of the world’s biggest copper recyclers has now successfully completed the Copper Mark assurance process for its site in Olen as well the Belgian plant is the fourth site in the Aurubis smelter network to receive the internationally recognized quality seal for responsible copper production the Aurubis plants in Belgian Beerse and in Stolberg the first processor of rolled copper products to take part in the Fabricator category have also started the Copper Mark certification process “We actively promote and call for the development of sustainable and responsible supply and value chains in the raw materials industry Our firm commitment to the international Copper Mark quality seal demonstrates the high expectations we place on ourselves,” says CEO Roland Harings “We are pleased with the successful step in Olen and we actively support the ongoing development of the Copper Mark as the standard of the global copper industry which our sites in Stolberg and Beerse have now also joined These efforts impressively emphasize the leadership role we are taking in sustainable multimetal production.” To fulfill the highest regulatory demands as well as the company’s own expectations as the world’s most sustainable smelter network Aurubis revised its Business Partner Screening process at the start of the year The Copper Mark has now fully confirmed that the process meets the high expectations for responsible sourcing in the criterion on responsible minerals supply chains This Joint Due Diligence Standard describes how companies should develop a risk management system and serves to fulfill the responsible sourcing requirements of the London Metal Exchange (LME) – one of the world’s most important metal exchanges – for the trade of metals such as copper Aurubis was also one of the first companies in the world to commit to the new Copper Mark Chain of Custody Standard This standard defines the requirements for certified copper-containing products in the supply chain It is the first standard that will cover the entire copper supply chain The recycling site in Olen specializes in producing copper cathodes and wire rod and manufactures more than 275,000 t of copper products each year with around 680 employees “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in Olen on this terrific success which confirms our long-standing efforts to be an exemplary and sustainable multimetal producer,” says Managing Director of Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse Dirk Vandenberghe “The results of our continuous improvement program are very clearly and positively reflected in the assessment of our processes in Olen We are continuing down this successful path and started the Copper Mark assurance process at our recycling plant in Beerse in September as well.” The Aurubis site in Stolberg has about 400 employees and produces high-precision strip and wire made of copper and copper alloys with an expansive international sales network the site was the first rolling mill in the Aurubis Group and in the Fabricator category to start the extensive Copper Mark certification process and is set to complete it by summer 2024 “Aurubis Stolberg is an integral part of the Group network and supply chain,” states Managing Director of Aurubis Stolberg Benjamin Cappi “We are establishing a bridge between metal manufacture and the unique demands of the product markets Because our supply chains build on the sites that are already certified our customers will benefit from the consistent certification within the Aurubis Group in the future.” “We congratulate Aurubis on its additional successful certification and the commitment of the sites in Stolberg and Beerse (Belgium),” says Executive Director of the Copper Mark Michèle Brülhart more than 25 % of the copper mined worldwide is produced in accordance with the Copper Mark’s standards It is thanks to the commitment of companies like Aurubis that we are able to build on this success and continue to grow along the copper value chain.” The Copper Mark is the leading assurance framework for copper with the vision of a sustainable society enabled by the responsible sourcing The Copper Mark is working to develop responsible value chains from the mine level to the end-product Through the standards and assurance framework the Copper Mark supports participants in identifying and making on-the-ground changes to their operations The Copper Mark standards draw on the 32 internationally recognized sustainability criteria of the Risk Readiness Assessment of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) Over 50 sites in the copper industry have joined the Copper Mark since March 30 More information about the Copper Mark: www.coppermark.org   Aurubis Beerse experienced a fire in a warehouse for raw materials The crisis team of the company immediately and successfully arranged to kick-off the emergency procedures to contain the situation external partners and visitors were secured hence No one was injured as a result of the incident an alert was sent out to the neighborhood to close all windows and doors Follow-up measurements by local authorities showed and confirmed that the incident did not have any environmental impact To maximally ensure safety of the people and the neighborhood Aurubis reached out to the local fire brigade of Beerse The fire brigade together with the first intervention team of Aurubis managed to extinguish the fire by 2:45 p.m and the local authorities who helped get this incident under control as quickly as possible  Although there was no danger to people nor the neighborhood we would also like to thank the near residents for their flexibility and patience for the inconvenience we may have caused The repair work on the affected warehouse has already started this morning and will take about two to three weeks The incident has no impact on the plant's production All employees active in the warehouse have returned to their workplace The Aurubis team will continue to investigate the incident and will - based on an extensive root cause analysis - take countermeasures to prevent such an incident in the future Aurubis announced the construction of a state-of-the-art recycling facility at its Beerse site in Belgium the company is strengthening its core business and is taking the next step towards becoming the most efficient and sustainable integrated smelter network worldwide a valuable intermediate product from electrolytic copper refining from the recycling sites in Beerse and Lünen (Germany) will be processed as well as tin from the anode sludge.  As another high-performance metal recycling site in the Aurubis smelter network the plant in Beerse processes about 250,000 tons of multimetal scrap annually – ranging from the most complex residues to higher-grade scrap types – and produces metals Since the acquisition of the Metallo Group in 2020 Aurubis is further expanding its role as one of the world’s leading copper recycler and now processes a total of about 1 million tons of recycling materials per year in the company Metal recycling is a core business area for Aurubis This is how we contribute significantly to the circular economy our production in Beerse is becoming faster The new facility is also a prime example of the synergies created by the acquisition of Metallo and how the whole company benefits in developing new innovative solutions together ASPA uses the in-house recycling know-how of the Beerse plant and grafts it into the processes of other Aurubis plants Aurubis is investing € 27 million in Beerse strengthening and securing the Beerse site with ASPA We are creating new jobs and increasing the plant’s importance for the whole Group,” Arnold explained “Its central geographical position between the involved sites enables us to keep the transport distance of the intermediates low.” Metal recycling is becoming increasingly complex The number of metals in discarded electronic consumer goods – for example smartphones or laptops – has risen sharply and the product design of the devices is becoming more intricate Valorizing metals from this end-of-life pool in a sustainable way therefore requires special recycling skills and investment in research and development “ASPA is taking metal recycling to the next level We combine efficiency and speed to get even more out of it recycling as many components as possible and harnessing the potential of ‘urban mining’ – which means using the city as a raw material depot – for scrap metal is crucial to closing the waste loop and catering to the increased demand for metals in a resource-efficient way," Arnold added The development of the new state-of-the-art recycling facility proves Aurubis’ drive to innovate and to reach the goal of an independent production cycle “We have been working on perfecting the ASPA process for more than three years,” Dirk Vandenberghe “This is a special and very important project for us because it allows us to get more valuable metals out of the same intermediate product and to do it faster than before.” The newly developed hydrometallurgical process significantly increases the valorization of valuable metals such as tin and precious metals “There will be more metals that can be reused this is the circular economy at its best,” added Vandenberghe Detailed engineering and approval processes for ASPA are currently under way The start of construction for the facility is planned for the second quarter of 2022 and the commissioning for early 2024 Precious MetalsAll Metal Quotes Vladimir (PhD, MEng in Mining) is a professional mining engineer, scientist and analyst that has more than 20 years of practical in-field and research experience. He is particularly interested in collecting, processing baseline data and writing insightful data-driven mining industry analytics, articles, statistical and research reports. a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide is continuing to expand its pioneering role in responsible and sustainable metal production by having its smelter network extensively certified with the Copper Mark The Copper Mark is the leading internationally recognized assurance framework for a sustainable and responsible supply chain in copper production the production site in Beerse (Belgium) and the rolling mill in Stolberg (Germany) have now been successfully certified the Bulgarian site in Pirdop successfully passed its routine recertification all large smelters are fully certified by the Copper Mark as is almost the entire global Aurubis smelter network This covers more than 95 % of the cathode output which the company produces annually by sustainably processing concentrates and recycling materials It furthermore impressively demonstrates Aurubis’ sustainability pledge “Aurubis was one of the first supporters of the international the Copper Mark assurance framework This is an expectation we place on ourselves; we advocate for a sustainable copper value chain We are pleased that all of the large smelter sites have now been certified in accordance with these exacting sustainability criteria A milestone for our company,” Aurubis CEO Dr Aurubis Beerse has now been certified with the Copper Mark as well the Belgian site obtained the certification for the Nickel and Zinc mark The Aurubis sites Hamburg and Lünen already have the Nickel Mark Aurubis Lünen has also been awarded the Zinc Mark Aurubis Beerse has also certified Tin under the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) program The site specializes in recycling materials with low metal contents and producing the key metals copper “I want to congratulate all employees at the Beerse site for this extraordinary success The certification confirms our continuous efforts to operate the most sustainable smelter network in the world,” Hans Van de Water Managing Director of Aurubis Olen and Beerse/Berango “The results of continuously improving our processes are very clearly and positively reflected in the Copper Mark assessment.” the Aurubis plant in Stolberg is the first rolling mill in the Aurubis Group and worldwide to receive the Copper Mark certificate in the Fabricator category The site with about 400 employees produces high-precision strip and wire made of copper and copper alloys we are the intermediary between metal production and the specific requirements of the product markets,” Dr our customers will benefit from the consistent certification within the Aurubis Group,” Cappi continued Aurubis was also one of the first companies worldwide to commit to the new Copper Mark Chain of Custody Standard It defines requirements and boosts transparency in the copper supply chains even further to bring copper from responsible sources to the market The Aurubis site in Olen was the world’s first smelter to be certified in accordance with the new Copper Mark Chain of Custody Standard Aurubis Bulgaria AD has been successfully recertified for another three years the Bulgarian plant in Pirdop was one of the first primary copper smelters worldwide to receive the Copper Mark seal “The successful Copper Mark recertification affirms our continuous efforts to be an exemplary copper producer I would like to thank and congratulate all of our teams in Pirdop for making this achievement possible,” said Tim Kurth Managing Director of Aurubis Bulgaria and COO Custom Smelting and Products of Aurubis AG since September 1 Copper Mark certification is planned for Deutsche Giessdraht GmbH This company site in Emmerich (Germany) produces the RheinROD copper wire rod brands which are used as starting material for electrical cables The Aurubis sites in Hamburg and Lünen will undergo the Copper Mark recertification process next year as well The Copper Mark is the leading assurance framework for copper The Copper Mark is working to develop responsible value chains from the mine level to the end product Through the standards and assurance framework the Copper Mark supports companies and organizations in identifying and making on-the-ground changes to their operations The Copper Mark standards draw on the 33 internationally recognized sustainability criteria of the Risk Readiness Assessment of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) Over 100 sites in the copper industry have joined the Copper Mark since March 30 about 38 % of the world’s copper is produced by Copper Mark-certified sites officially kicked off construction of its state-of-the-art and energy-efficient bleed treatment plant at its Olen site in Belgium today The new BOB (Bleed treatment Olen Beerse) facility in which valuable metals like nickel and copper will be recovered from the electrolyte stream (the bleed) will meet the highest environments standards in Belgium and the European Union as well as create roughly 30 new jobs for the region Managing Director of Aurubis Olen and Aurubis Beerse Commissioning of the new facility with an overall investment volume of around € 70 million is anticipated for the second half of 2024 Aurubis expects to see an annual EBITDA contribution of € 15 million once the plant is fully operational in fiscal year 2025/26 BOB will recover valuable metals such as nickel and copper contained in the electrolyte streams generated in the tankhouses during metal production at the Aurubis sites in Beerse and Olen (both in Belgium) “Our metals play a key role in the green energy transition and in an increasingly digitalized world,” Dirk Vandenberghe adds we are further anchoring Aurubis within our Olen municipality but also the environment and sustainability are moving forward The new production process and its constant monitoring ensure an environmentally friendly process with energy savings which gives added value to the surrounding area In line with its “Metals for progress Driving sustainable growth” strategy Aurubis is committed to expanding its leadership role in sustainability “BOB is an important building block in our strategy We continuously strive to use resources even more responsibly and as such contribute to the European circular economy BOB allows Aurubis to strengthen its position as the most efficient and sustainable integrated smelter network worldwide,” Inge Hofkens Aurubis is also currently building its new ASPA recycling plant in Beerse “These projects enable us to optimally process valuable metals in dynamic and continuously changing input materials and recycling markets This is how we strengthen our core business and substantially contribute to the European circular economy,” Hofkens says Around 670 people work at the high-performance metal recycling site in Olen and roughly 470 are employed at Aurubis Beerse Flanders further expands the lead in the circular economy press and dignitaries gathered together at the site of Metallo Group in Beerse Flemish minister Joke Schauvliege cut the ribbon for a brand-new announced proudly: 'With this new installation we recycle low grade materials in an innovative way into high grade metals and minerals.' This event is a benchmark in the history of the company the underlying thought also marks a small quantum leap in the perception of raw materials This is how Metallo helps to form the future of the circular economy  With the opening of this innovative installation the recycling company shows that they are ready for the future Metallo proves their ambition with this: 'We confirm that we play a worldwide pioneering role in terms of the circular economy.' He continues: 'Our region is known as the Flanders Metal Valley This is how that has grown historically: a large network of companies was able to treat each other's residual materials Flanders is a pioneer in the world of recycling Metallo now takes the lead and develops groundbreaking technology themselves to be able to covert low grade secondary materials even more into new raw materials That shows the devotion to our mission and also our urge for renewal The determination of our employees and the guts of our investors made this milestone possible.' Vandenberghe also emphasizes the engagement of the employees: 'In less than five years we went from idea to realization of the project The opening of the new installation is a benchmark in the history of our company of which this generation of employees can be rightfully proud Our plasma oven is unique after all: it is the largest oven in the world The innovative installation brings us a step closer to our goal: adding value the circular economy by converting low grade secondary materials into high grade metals and minerals.' In short: behind the historical walls of the site in Beerse a driven team is working with cutting-edge technology about innovation and sustainable value creation This is how Metallo formulates answers to the fundamental questions of our time: how do we deal with the fact that our primary raw materials are becoming scarcer How can we organize our economy circular and sustainable the man who in his function of R&D Manager with Metallo Group helped push the development and the building of the new plasma oven into the right direction applies himself to difficult questions like this every day As an engineer he comes up with solutions for challenges like: how can we recuperate the materials as much as possible so that they can be used again Chintinne outlines the idea behind the new plasma oven with the use of a striking example: 'Compare our process with the squeezing out of an orange Imagine that the orange is the secondary material At Metallo we refine the non-ferro metals from the secondary material let's say the "juice" from the orange The peel is the residual product with a low metal content The orange press is the unique process of Metallo Group with which we have been able for years to still squeeze a little more juice from the peel of the orange With our new installation we now make sure that the orange peel itself becomes a valuable product Metallo invested in innovative technology: a plasma oven Chintinne: 'Plasma is formed when a gas ionizes Because of an energy source or electrical voltage and the gas achieves different characteristics: it becomes electrically conductive but a completely new aggregation state: plasma Plasma was already in use at industrial processes But not in the way or on the scale that Metallo does it now Metallo built the largest non-transferred arc plasma oven in the world Chintinne: 'We provide a continuous arc of flame compare that with a permanent lightning and we blow air through that Because of the lightning the air becomes extremely hot and it ionizes partly This plasma of 5000°C we blow into the reactor to evaporate the metals from materials from our other processes This is how they are purified to usable metals and minerals.' Chintinne gives three well thought out arguments to take up the pioneer role and to choose for plasma technology: 'Firstly because of the energy source This gives the installation the potential to run on green energy once the conversion to renewable energy sources has been made this technology is now ready to be applied at a large scale plasma has the characteristic that you compress a lot of energy into a limited amount of gas Because of the compactness of the installation in comparison to other technologies the impact on the environment is also more restricted Besides the recycled materials there is another end product that comes out of the plasma oven: a synthetic mineral Here it is of crucial importance that the policy makers create a good framework for the further development of the circular economy Director Sustainable Enterprise with Metallo Group: 'The presence of the Flemish Minister for Nature Environment and Agriculture Joke Schauvliege at the opening of the new installation is a beautiful recognition for our efforts And it shows that the policy has an eye for the further development of the circular economy because we still see strong differences between sectors We wield - often unconsciously - different criteria when it concerns recycling.' Maes gives a striking example: 'Everybody knows that the choice for recycled paper is the most sustainable Many people prefer recycled paper with an eco-label But in the construction industry they prefer gravel from the river Meuse to produce concrete That gravel should then be '100% natural' Our synthetic material can replace that gravel in itself it is the most ecological choice Sensitization from the policy can help to grow the minds.' 'For our planet it is also of the utmost importance that we start to rethink terminology such as waste and raw materials' together with us: how can we make sure that raw materials don't get lost That they will not be categorized unnecessarily as 'waste' and are dumped somewhere but that they are recuperated as much as possible At Metallo more than 500 proud employees support that mission every day They hope that policy makers will continue to work on a fruitful framework to realize a sustainable World Water Day is an annual United Nations event that started in 1993 and focuses on the importance of water The theme of World Water Day 2022 is groundwater Most of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater Groundwater will play a critical role in adapting to climate change We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource As an Industrial company, Aurubis Beerse consumes a significant amount of ground water on an annual basis. For us, focusing on handling our water sustainably is of the highest importance. Together with our long-time partner Sibelco we installed a pilot plant on our water purification plant to test if Sibelco’s new heavy metals removal technology could help us in taking next steps in the circular approach of our waste water we proactively search for a continuously improving waste water quality and hope to significantly decrease our ground water usage through water reuse water treatment specialist at Aurubis Beerse is co-leading the pilot for Aurubis and dives into some detail in the interview below So far we were able to bring down the share of groundwater use in Beerse from 67% in 2018 to 30% in 2020 and 2021 thanks to our ultrafiltration installation and this requires a detailed analysis and continuous monitoring of the impact of this growth on our water footprint we seek for solutions to mitigate the impact as much as possible and follow up on available technologies to improve where possible this provides a delayed re-infiltration of rainwater to deeper layers in the ground we use pre-conditioned groundwater for various applications: In our cooling circuits our electrolysis and in the spraying systems that are installed to decrease the dust on our recycling materials yard.  The pilot plant is treating part of our wastewater in parallel with our physicochemical treatment of wastewater Beerse already amply respects the strict water standards today but if the results of the pilot plant are significantly better than our physicochemical plant this would mean that we can take another step in managing our water sustainably we aim to cut specific metal emissions to water by another 25% by 2030 We have the ambition to produce with the smallest environmental footprint in the sector In the future we could use the Blueguard filtration media in a purification step after physicochemical treatment or as a pretreatment for membrane technology to reuse our wastewater mineral based granular filtration media developed by Sibelco to sustainably remove heavy metals from (industrial) wastewater  Sibelco is currently investigating techno-economic feasibility for scale-up in collaboration with Aurubis Beerse.  The overall environmental foot-print of Blueguard® based on heavy metal removal in the processes is expected to be lower than conventional methods such as chemical precipitation or ion-exchange resin treatment Sibelco is a global leader in material solutions processes and sells specialty industrial minerals – particularly silica feldspathics and olivine – and is a leader in glass recycling Sibelco’s solutions support the progress of modern life and serve industries as diverse as glass Aurubis AG has acquired the recycling company Metallo This marks the formal closing of the transaction Metallo will be fully consolidated into the Aurubis Group starting June 1 Metallo Group Holding was previously majority-owned by investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners a leading global provider and recycler of copper and other non-ferrous metals is gaining another company in Belgium (Beerse with about 450 employees) in addition to Olen as well as a company in Spain for the first time (Berango in the province of Biscay with about 90 employees) The EU competition authorities issued their unconditional approval of the acquisition on May 4 an established name on the recycling market commented on the closing of the transaction in a video released today for all of the employees: A little over a year after the announcement we can now welcome all of our Metallo colleagues to the worldwide Aurubis family We will integrate the Metallo production sites to form an optimized production network of our plants in Hamburg This will lead to more than 1 million tons of recycling capacity for secondary material Harings emphasized: “This acquisition represents an important step in the implementation of our multimetal strategy Our stated goal is to become one of the most efficient and sustainable smelter networks in the world.” CEO and Director of Metallo: “I’m sure I speak for all Metallo employees when I say that we are very pleased to become part of Aurubis and to bundle our experience spanning a combined total of more than 250 years Metallo specializes in processing recycling materials with low metal contents We have a ‘zero waste’ approach – even as the compositions of the input materials become increasingly complex we want to continue processing all of the input materials into valuable products making an important sustainability contribution as one company.” “The Metallo-Aurubis merger is not just a very positive move for the two companies it is great news for the recycling industry and Europe,” Patrick Verschelde Chairman of the Board of Directors of Metallo “The add-ons of Metallo technologies and expertise to those of Aurubis will allow the expanded Aurubis Group to treat even more complex materials in order to return to the value chain base metals which are very much in demand in Europe.” The purchase price for the transaction amounts to € 380 million and will be financed with borrowed capital In light of the stable debt and liquidity situation at Aurubis By Wayne Koberstein, Executive Editor, Life Science Leader Follow Me On Twitter @WayneKoberstein Speaking with Paul Stoffels is like continuing a long-ago conversation with the late Paul Janssen A generation younger than the original Janssen company founder Stoffels now has responsibilities similar to his former boss and mentor but for a much bigger and more complex company now under the Janssen name Stoffels is the chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson and worldwide chairman for the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson He was also the young student-colleague of Dr Janssen and made a name for himself in the early 1990s leading breakthrough research in HIV drug resistance and drug development starting on the path Janssen had discovered about the same time I last visited the company headquarters in Beerse I had met and interviewed Paul Janssen several years previously Visiting him at his lair in Beerse was a pilgrimage of sorts — to the place that produced more significant new-drug introductions at the time than any other company in the world Stoffels’ story parallels Janssen’s in several respects He entered medicine in much the same way as Janssen as a young physician-researcher in the Democratic Republic of the Congo He came back home to Belgium determined to fight a disease then still widely perceived as a threat only to third-world or minority populations he used the basic method he had learned from Paul Janssen: Investigate the chemical interaction of drug molecules with the disease agent Stoffels turned to looking at how the virus adapts to drugs that block its replication by inhibiting reverse transcriptase Stoffels serves as a direct human connection from the original Janssen company to the new Janssen global J&J pharma organization he now runs who heads the commercial end of the pharma group as worldwide chairman of Janssen Stoffels is officially chairman overseeing the R&D and global commercial strategy for pharmaceuticals it is the R&D organization that sets the agenda and direction for all subsequent business and commercial activity at the contemporary Janssen group Yet a meaningful difference also exists: Janssen was still a relatively small regional company when it joined J&J more than three decades ago; today the legacy Stoffels oversees has expanded to include a huge group of global R&D and commercial organizations The story would be less interesting if Stoffels had simply stayed with Janssen his entire career the search for more effective ways to treat HIV infection took him into entrepreneurial territory he cofounded two companies to carry on the quest: Virco to phenotype all the viral strains found in patients to develop new drugs that would defeat drug-resistant strains Tibotec’s name stems from the type of molecules his team at Janssen had thus far tried and failed to move forward tetrahydro-imidazo[4,5,1-jk][1,4]-benzodiazepine- 2(1H)-one and –thione) Viral resistance to earlier drugs had defeated trials of the first TIBOs tested at Janssen “I learned from Paul Janssen how failures help you come to the solution,” says Stoffels and for only one reason — we did not understand yet how the virus behaved in the body When we started to do experiments in vitro That gave me the idea that we should start testing patients to see the subsets of HIV they carried.” Stoffels began by setting up a diagnostic effort at Janssen to find the multiresistant strains and eventually the effort produced some drug candidates Stoffels decided to take his research outside of the company leading to the startup of Tibotec and Virco attracting widespread attention and capital from the start “We raised a significant amount of money and in a short time we went from being five people in a garage with an incubator and two office tables to a significant biotech company of about 350 people was an extremely good basic scientist and biologist a brilliant guy who did everything in the laboratory and discovery and I did everything in drug development and business.” After the FDA observed that the Tibotec- Virco group had the technology for learning about multiresistant HIV strains and finding drugs to fight them Stoffels says pharma companies and researchers beat a path to its door “We built a vast network of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies We also built and investigated a library of more than 10,000 strains of viruses and we used the resulting knowledge to advise physicians on how to treat patients and companies on how to develop HIV drugs.” Tibotec’s own discovery and development efforts eventually yielded two new drugs Prezista (darunavir) in 2006 and Intelence (etravirine) in 2007 Stoffels had put Tibotec together as an integrated pharmaceutical group to develop the new drugs he could no longer raise the money to fund the needed Phase 2b trials so he and Pauwels began to look for a partner but they chose to go back home to Janssen and J&J because “J&J was prepared to leave us alone as a small company in the group and we could continue to do our work.” By the time Stoffels rejoined J&J/Janssen he had become as much a businessman and lawyer as a scientist gave a hundred presentations in two weeks trying to go public — all of it part of growing up as a biotech CEO and chairman.” (Stoffels was chairman of Tibotec and CEO of Virco; Pauwels played the opposite roles at the two companies.) and after Stoffels saw the first two HIV drugs off to market J&J’s senior management asked him to take on more responsibility for a larger part of the R&D group he became head of the entire group in the position he now holds “I applied all my capabilities learned during my lifetime in biotech and pharma and I started working on the pharmaceutical R&D company of the future.” The external innovation group includes teams for running business development and all other capabilities needed to establish and maintain collaborations with other companies Stoffels also oversees the business development group responsible for accessing late-stage science and technology through licensing and acquisitions the company’s own venture capital group More than just imposing the Janssen name on former units such as Centocor and Ortho Biotech the company has aimed at making its technologies and special knowledge available throughout the Janssen universe the current Janssen units cooperate on discovery and development in all five therapeutic areas of focus: cardiovascular and metabolic diseases the company fully funds a number of “internal ventures,” and other ventures such as the alternative-scaffold enterprise Centyrex Has all the reorganizing and integrating of R&D paid off for Janssen Stoffels believes the reforms have succeeded by many measures including an increase in the actual productivity of the R&D organization “We organized ourselves very much in the biotechnology way but completely focused on certain therapeutic areas to be successful you must have the top experts leading the disease or therapeutic area They need to make all the important decisions about which science or type of development we adopt.” an organization that develops a high number of new drugs must be efficient on a global basis “Because we have worked on significant unmet medical needs we have learned how to speed up the process.” Stoffels cites the development of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) The FDA halted the drug’s pivotal Phase 3 trial in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma when its interim analysis showed significant PFS (progressionfree survival) and OS (overall survival) improvement “We brought the drug from early Phase 2a to the market for the first indication for MCL [Mantle cell lymphoma] in only 23 months,” he says “That is only possible if you have an outstanding global development organization that can develop and file medicines globally He caps the point by mentioning the company’s first-ever success in launching a new drug initially in Japan: the NS3/4A protease inhibitor Olysio (simeprevir) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection That’s one of the most important value creators Don’t be inhibited by where the science comes from Just make sure you win access to the best possible drug That was a big change for this organization — not that easy in the beginning but now everyone is fully embracing it.” J&J announced Janssen’s pipeline produced 13 new-drug launches since 2009 “more than doubling its productivity over the past four years.” The company anticipates submitting more than 10 new product filings and more than 25 “significant brand-line extensions” by 2017 Five of its new-drug indications now have FDA breakthrough status New products launched since 2009 accounted for 17 percent of total pharmaceutical sales in 2012 and the company expects the same products to bring in nearly half of the total sales in the segment by 2017 “The answer to economic pressure is innovation If you bring innovative new drugs into the market We need to produce more and more significant innovation to be reimbursed by the payors in the world and global development challenge to develop the best drugs and make sure that we have the best profit margin possible.” Stoffels sees great promise in the direction of pharma science and technology such as the growing understanding of the human genome we probably will be able to diagnose much better who will respond best to therapy That means we have to develop drugs and diagnostics together — on one hand far beyond what even Paul Janssen could ever have imagined the company can now aim to use all therapeutic tools available in its kit: small molecules and vaccines — its three “centers of excellence” serving the entire Janssen organization Janssen Diagnostics develops biomarkers and tests to be used either independently or in companion diagnostics “The melding of all our capabilities is already in place,” Stoffels says “But no organization is ever at its end-stage We must always continue to think about how we can improve Stoffels used the phrase “pharmaceutical company of the future,” so I asked him to elaborate “The pharmaceutical company of the future is one which is having strong internal science combined with a vast network of collaboration in the world combining all types of technologies with a single objective — improving the quality and length of life — and that is the metric which It also produces extreme motivation in the organization and that’s also a very significant part of the success.” For a glimpse of the present and future Janssen Stoffels refers once more to the past: “Paul Janssen looked his whole life for a TB drug one effective against multiresistant strains I carried on the search with my team and said ‘Let’s get this done.’ And we found a spectacular new drug for TB.” Launched in late 2012 the TB drug Sirturo (bedaquiline) has a new mechanism of action inhibiting mycobacterial ATP [adenosine 5’-triphosphate] synthase “Nobody ever believed ATP inhibition would be a drug target at all,” he says Stoffels says the Sirturo story is emblematic of the expanding Janssen legacy “The character of the organization and the heart and soul of the organization have been carried on through the years and through the ages We still have many people who worked with Dr going into the new age of biotechnology and so forth but it is still all about making a difference for patients Janssen did the first 50 years of the company and I believe it will continue to be our strategy for the next 50 years.” Based on how I have seen the company grow and develop during most of its past years We would like to introduce you to our two colleagues Pithchai Sivakumar (29) and Kevin Louwagie (33) They recently won an Aurubis Award along with their teams Each year Aurubis presents awards in four different categories: Health & Safety Kevin and Pithchai collaborated on two of the Award-winning projects Pithchai with the Iron Sillicate team won the "Aurubis Special Award 2023" they sought a solution to valorise the Metamix and Koranel heaps in an innovative and sustainable way Kevin worked closely with colleagues from Olen The focus of this project: to recycle a CuPb intermediate from Hamburg in Beerse to recover more metals through the Aurubis smelter network They were awarded the Team Collaboration Award A crucial lesson I learnt is that all departments involved play a vital role The most important thing to overcome them was working closely with the departments and their expertise The award is the great outcome of that.  Kevin: The unique smelter network we own in Aurubis gives us the opportunity to process diverse and sometimes challenging materials platinum — Aurubis stands for valuable metals With “You are our most valuable element” the company emphasizes the essential importance of the employees and places them at the center of its new employer brand “Demographic and societal changes are leading to rising competition for specialists for the industry of today and the future Aurubis is at the forefront of many of society’s highly relevant issues We are very appealing as an employer and are growing internationally with our Driving Sustainable Growth strategy The new campaign gets to the heart of all this,” explained Aurubis AG CEO Roland Harings More than 7,000 qualified employees at over 20 sites worldwide process raw materials into valuable metals and products at Aurubis which are the foundation for a sustainable society The new employer brand is based on a broad study that about 150 employees in the Group took part in during workshops and interviews Together they fleshed out what Aurubis stands for and what makes the company unique The new employer brand is made up of three core elements: Rock-solid & rolling: Aurubis stands for stability as an employer with its solid business model while developing every day at the same time — with the ambition of being the most efficient and sustainable smelter network and producing metals for a modern world.  Hands-on & high-tech: Because at Aurubis employees get down to business with passion for metallurgy and inspiring production processes The company is also advancing its technologies and processes all the time setting new international standards in its industry Skilled & seriously sustainable: More than 7,000 qualified employees are responsibly transforming raw materials into valuable products here daily products that are making a crucial contribution to the transformation towards more sustainability during photo and video shoots — it was always apparent how passionate our colleagues are about Aurubis I’m so proud of how dedicated each and every person was in developing the new employer brand,” said Marcel Kloska He leads the global project team developing the new employer brand which is made up of Human Resources and communications experts This pride and this passion are exactly what the new employer image aims to reflect — for example on the career website the leading global supplier of non-ferrous metals is currently investing about € 1.7 billion in strategic projects that will secure and strengthen the core business pursue growth options in recycling in particular and expand the company’s industry leadership in sustainability With its Metals for Progress: Driving Sustainable Growth strategy Aurubis is continuing on a successful course and the first investments will start production this year Aurubis needs specialists for this at all sites worldwide now and in the future Additional mandate for current Managing Director of Aurubis Beerse I am honoured and highly motivated to embark on this new responsibility I am very much looking forward to meeting the Olen colleagues in person soon FIT (Flanders Investment & Trade) presented the first Flanders International Business Awards They crown achievements in several categories including "Exporter of the Year" "Foreign Investor of the Year" and "Startup of the Year".  Aurubis finished in an honourable second place in the 'Investor of the Year' category It has been a great recognition to be nominated as "Foreign Investor of the Year" by this Flemish government institution Dirk Vandenberghe during the award ceremony received a unique work of art from Flemish minister-president Jan Jambon.  In the Foreign Investor of the Year category Aurubis grew into a top contender alongside international players Pfizer and Plug Power This nomination is testament to our significant investment projects in Olen and Beerse and demonstrates our commitment to promoting growth and development 20 September 2023 – During an impressive award show with more than 900 guests and in the presence of Flanders’ Minister-President Jan Jambon, FIT announced the winners of the very first Flanders International Business Awards: Globachem (Sint-Truiden) – 'Exporter of the Year 2023' Plug Power (Antwerp) – 'Foreign Investor of the Year 2023' and Loop Earplugs (Berchem) – 'Startup of the Year 2023'. In the 'Startup of the Year 2023' category FIT gave a special award to 3 'International High Potentials': Henchman (Ghent) OTIV (Ghent) and B4Plastics (Dilsem-Stokkem). In this competition's premiere, FIT is simultaneously giving recognition to an export company a foreign investor and a startup that make Flanders shine far beyond its borders winners of the Flanders International Business Awards 2023 Together with the 6 runners-up and all candidates of this strong first edition they help build a strong ecosystem in Flanders. " – Joy Donné This family business from Sint-Truiden develops registers and markets crop protection products it wants to contribute to the production of sufficient safe and sustainably grown food for the rising world population Globachem is active in 39 countries and focuses mainly on large agricultural countries such as France Globachem beat to the finish agricultural machinery manufacturer Dewulf from Roeselare and IndigoCare from Tessenderlo which develops smart call systems for hospitals and residential care centers The final jury praised the winner's strong focus on innovation with a major social impact innovative approach and unique corporate culture Globachem has managed to gain a strong place in a market dominated by multinationals The intensive cooperation with relevant Flanders-based partners is also a catalyst for innovation." - Sonja Willems Co-chair of the final jury and president of the FIT board of directors Plug Power is building a green hydrogen plant in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and is the first investment of the American green hydrogen company on European soil  It will also be the first hybrid hydrogen plant Plug Power has developed an extremely innovative technology Plug Power was competing against investments by the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German Aurubis world market leader in the production and recycling of copper it was Plug Power's contribution to accelerating the energy transition that tilted the scales in its favor "Plug Power is helping to build the basic infrastructure of our green energy supply of tomorrow this American investment ensures significant job creation in Flanders." -  Yin Oei Co-chair of the final jury and CEO of Living Tomorrow Loop Earplugs was founded by two childhood friends with tinnitus The startup from Berchem reshaped its industry in a short time and turned its stylish and always fitting high-quality earplugs into a sought-after fashion accessory worldwide  The fast-growing team achieves 98% of its turnover in around 150 countries Loop Earplugs left in the dust two Ghent startups: developer of tracking technology Sensolus and AI player Techwolf The final jury was impressed by the remarkable export results achieved by the Antwerp startup ever since 2016 "Loop Earplugs bounced back quickly after the Covid pandemic by radically renewing itself They have managed to market an existing product worldwide in a unique a lot of courage and perseverance." - Sonja Willems FIT is giving 3 'International High Potentials' a special award: financially and technologically on the verge of scaling up internationally FIT and Startup.Flanders are rewarding them with one-on-one guidance by our experts in Flanders and by the Economic Representatives and Science & Technology Counselors abroad They bring the startups in contact with the right partners and prospects in order to accelerate their international breakthrough." - Olivier Van Orshoven a professional jury shortened the list of 100 contenders to 3 times 3 nominees On 7 September they were invited to pitch their candidacy to the final jury which chose one winner per category. The final jury based its assessment on the following criteria: global impact innovative growth and motivation to take on an ambassadorial role In addition to co-chairs Yin Oei (CEO of Living Tomorrow) and Sonja Willems (president of the FIT board of directors) More information about the winners, runners-up and sponsors of the Flanders International Business Awards on  www.flandersinternationalbusinessawards.be/nl Source: Flanders International Business Awards 2023: The 3 winners have been announced Flanders Investment & Trade. https://corporate.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/flanders-international-business-awards-2023-3-winners-have-been-announced