BEA, European leader in door-opening systems signs contract with the US Stanley company
A 2-year contract has just been signed between BEA, a Liege company, and Stanley Company, US leader in automatic doors. This US firm has decided to stop manufacturing their own sensor product line and to work with BEA, which produces door-sensing systems. After taking over Europe, where they are a recognized leader, the company went American in 1987 when they set up a subsidiary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Evidence of their know-how has now been demonstrated in the US, a market known for its high requirements in reliability. Since 1992, with the upcoming of the CPSS-12, BEA has reached a safety level never attained anywhere in the world before.
Consider for instance New-York (JFK), Chicago (O’Hara), Washington (Dulles), Hawaii and so on. Many major airports are equipped with these door-opening systems. And whenever a new one has to be installed, BEA’s sensors are always chosen, since their performance cannot be matched. Asian markets are no longer out of their reach. Since August 15, 1996, an office has been operating in Beijing. Japan is likely to be approached as early as next year and with a brand-new product.
BEA’s US subsidiary has had spectacular growth in these last five years: their turnover was $7,500,000 in 1995, and will probably reach $11,300,000 in 1996.
They are listed in the "Inc. 500", ranking 290th. (The Inc. 500 is the equivalent of the Fortune 500 for starting companies. A few years ago, their listing included now famous companies like Timberland and Microsoft).
Liege high-tech might be watching you when you step through a sophisticated automatic door...
The UK Bulmer Group is still relying on Stassen, their Liege subsidiary
Since 1992 the Belgian leader in cider Cidre Stassen SA company, belongs to H.P. Bulmer, a top British Group. In the last four years, $9 million has been invested and the turnover has increased from $15 million to 22 million.
In 1994, H.P. Bulmer relocated their cider production in champagne-style bottle from England to Liege. They now intend to start production of typical English ciders. Bottles are going to be launched onto neighbouring markets during 1997.
Stassen is an ideal bridgehead for the development strategy of its parent company on the continent, as it is located close to Germany and the Netherlands, a region where hiring multilingual employees is very easy. Creativity, quality, excellent financial results and state-of-the-art technology all contributed to win the British group over.
$33 million invested in Prayon-Rupel
A new production plant is starting up at Prayon-Rupel, a Liege chemical company. $33 million has been invested to produce "Ultramarine Blue" i.e. a synthetic mineral pigment developed by the R&D department. This new production line combines two major advantages. It protects the environment and allows continued production, thereby providing a constant quality as well as a very short processing time.
Schréder: Switch on the light
Thanks to their fine know-how in public and industrial lighting, the multinational Schréder has signed a $8 million contract with the Belgian train manufacturer Bombardier N.B. for the production of the central illuminated ramp along with the associated luggage racks to be fitted onto 520 new passengers coaches.
This company was set up and is still headquartered in Liege. Their success rests on their particular high investment in R&D. For instance, they actively participated in the tuning and finalizing of the 30,000 lights illuminating the three tubes of the Eurotunnel. They also worked on the lighting of Brussels and London subways, the symbolic Atomium as well as the Belgian highway network.
MAPEI sets up a distribution center in Liege
MAPEI , a world leader in building materials and adhesives has set up a subsidiary in Liege: MAPEI Benelux. The plant will at first concentrate on distribution and marketing operations, and should develop R&D or production activities in a near future.
Liege was chosen by the Italian company thanks to two major assets :
- the plant is located close to Liege Airport as well as to a dense transportation network, allowing easy, cost-effective and rapid transfer of goods ;
- a high level of incentives reaching 30% of the total investment.
CERAN’s method of teaching foreign languages to be used in Japan
CERAN Lingua International SA is an education center in foreign languages located in the thermal city of Spa (Liege). A field in which they have developed a unique and efficient method. As a result of their success, the method is now franchised and has given birth to other centers in Aix-en-Provence (France), Grenada (Spain), Dublin (Ireland), Lines (UK) and Georgia (USA).
A deal has now been concluded with a new partner in Japan. From June 1997 on, CERAN’s methodology will be used in the Osaka area. Other Asian companies might follow suite.
Cockerill Sambre Group meets a high-tech challenge and wins a $50 million contract
Liege’s R&D department of Cockerill Sambre Group has met the technological challenge raised by CERN* to the steel industry a couple of years ago. Researchers have satisfied the extraordinary requirements of the contractor and landed the $50 million contract out of 24 potential suppliers.
They have developed an outstanding magnetic steel which will be part of the new particle accelerator CERN is elaborating, a hundred times more powerful than the existing one. The magnets’ feature had to be adapted to allow the increase in energy while maintaining a high degree of reliability and precision.
* European Laboratory for Physics of Particles
Now on the Web
Subcontractors and principals specialized in metallurgy can now meet on the Web. Find addresses and phone numbers of the former and the latter, keep up with information made up for you or exchange ideas.
Events at Liege Airport
- 19 November: the cargo company TNT Express Worldwide organized the laying of the fondation stone of their European hub .
- 9 December : The Israeli Cargo Air Lines celebrated their 20th anniversary at Liege Airport where they have also recently located their European hub.
