Foreign investment in Wallonia: over one billion invested in 2018
The recent investment projects announced by the Chinese companies, Thunder Power and Alibaba, together with small enterprises relating to them have boosted foreign investment projects in Wallonia in 2018. The figures are confirmation: 2018 can be considered as the second best vintage in 18 years.
This year, Wallonia processed no fewer than 71 foreign investment projects which are set to generate a total investment of 1.142 billion euros, compared with 682 million in 2017 and create 2,743 jobs in the south of the country.
In addition to the investment projects of the Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba and the electric car manufacturer, Thunder Power, worth 75 and 125 million euros in Liège and Charleroi respectively, large extension projects have also been announced.
Indeed, US company Google will be investing 200 million euros to extend its Baudour site and the British firm Inovyn, 100 million at its Jemeppe site.
PIERRE-YVES JEHOLET, MINISTER FOR THE ECONOMY
Alibaba and Thunder Power are structural investments that will help to create jobs and build new ecosystems in Wallonia. These two projects are therefore part of the Region's re-industrialisation strategy.
In terms of investment amounts, China now ranks highest with 351 million euros announced this year. It is followed by the United States (212 million of investment announced) and Flanders (130 million) which is considered as a foreign investor in the statistics.
In terms of sectoral trends, 330 million euros relate to new technologies, 158 million euros to life sciences, 150 million euros to agrifood and finally 133 million euros to logistics.
