That was the central message during the annual event of bio.be/essenscia on 21 September. Bio.be/essenscia is the Belgian federation of companies active in biotechnology and life sciences.
Ever since the start of the coronas crisis, the Belgian biotech and biopharma sector has played a key role in the worldwide fight against the pandemic. This provides momentum to make this industry a spearhead in the country’s economic revival. The sector has already created 10,000 new jobs in the last ten years. In that period, companies have invested € 5.5 billion in the renewal of their production facilities.
Bio.be/essenscia concludes that the tipping point has been reached to anchor the biotechnological production techniques of the future in Belgium and to further strengthen the international position of Belgian biotech. Not only in the field of health, but also in biotechnological and bio-based applications in agriculture and industry. “It is time to switch from ‘invented in Belgium’ to ‘invented and made in Belgium'”, says Tineke Van Hooland, deputy secretary general of bio.be/essenscia. This requires a strong investment climate and talented employees for the digital and sustainable challenges on the shop floor.
Read the full report on the essenscia website.
Image: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock
