Hans Vloeberghs is president and managing director at Fujifilm Electronic Materials, which has its European headquarters in Zwijndrecht: “We have been operating here since 1992, producing fine chemicals and polymers for the manufacture of semiconductor chips. We have seen particularly strong growth in microelectronics since the Covid period. Europe is now also on board. We currently have 250 colleagues in Zwijndrecht, but following acquisitions in the UK, France and Italy, our European division now employs 450 people.”

Fujifilm Electronic Materials is a highly specialised chemical company that develops innovative formulations for the manufacture of current and next-generation chips. “Our chemicals enhance the performance and quality of chips. They are often developed specifically for a particular application. We therefore have our own R&D department dedicated to a single product line, which is recognised within Fujifilm worldwide as a centre of excellence for innovation ,” explains Vloeberghs. “Since 2020, 100 million euros has been invested, including in an expansion of the laboratory, additional production lines and a new warehouse, which has already been partially converted into production space.”

A thriving ecosystem of start-ups

Alongside the strong presence of multinationals, the chemical sector in Flanders also boasts a whole ecosystem of start-ups and scale-ups. They find suitable accommodation at venues such as the BlueChem incubator in Antwerp. Chairwoman Barbara Veranneman says: “BlueChem was launched in 2020. Twenty-one start-ups have already made it their home. They have access to plug-and-play laboratories and can rely on a network of partners for strategic support, IP or safety advice, or industry contacts. Not every start-up succeeds in turning its idea into a commercial reality, but we have already seen a number of strong growth stories. Three companies are planning to set up their own premises. One of these is D-CRBN, which converts CO₂ into new raw materials for the chemical industry.”

As an incubator, BlueChem focuses on sustainable chemistry, and this sector is gaining momentum. As occupancy rates have generally been high in recent years, the initiators – the sector federation essenscia, POM Antwerp, the City of Antwerp and VITO – have decided to construct a second incubator building on the NextGen business park in the Port of Antwerp. “This will double our laboratory capacity to 1,800 m². If all goes to plan, the new incubator will open in May 2027.”

Sophie Roelants is COO and co-founder of AmphiStar, a biotech company that produces biosurfactants – biological raw materials for shampoos, soaps and cleaning products – from bio-based waste and residual streams. “This is the result of research into a fermentation technology at Ghent University, which we were able to scale up at the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant. Initially, we wanted to licence our technology to B2B companies in the surfactant market. But when it became clear that they were actually looking for a producer of bio-based raw materials, we revamped our business model and started producing ourselves,” she explains.

Ecover was one of the first customers. In the US, several major projects are now underway with the cleaning industry, and major personal care brands are also showing interest. “At the moment, we’re still manufacturing through third parties, but our ambition is to build our first in-house factory somewhere in Europe in the coming years. We need to scale up to bring down the price of our products,” Roelants explains. The transition from a knowledge-based company to a manufacturing company means that AmphiStar requires significantly more capital. Since 2024, it has raised just under 15 million euros through funding and grants. Later this year, the company is planning a new major round of funding.

The impact of geopolitics

That’s where the shoe pinches for scale-ups, notes Barbara Veranneman. “Promising companies, such as those we’re getting to know through BlueChem, need investors and markets. We’re seeing that the geopolitical situation is putting a slight brake on their innovation: customers are hesitant to invest in new applications, and investors are less inclined to take risks and provide funding for scale-ups. Hopefully, the tide will turn soon.”

Geopolitics is also a significant factor for the multinationals at the table. Hans Vloeberghs: “It is clear that reliable supply chains and the local availability of products are receiving much more attention today. The fact that Europe wants to become less dependent on non-European semiconductors is a positive development for us. We ourselves try to source our raw materials locally wherever possible. This means that the carbon footprint of our logistics is reduced and that we are less dependent on distant suppliers.”

Trade wars, the situation in the Middle East and energy prices are exacerbating the situation. Nevertheless, Molymet Belgium is managing to further increase its market share. “Like any company, we need to remain competitive on price. Our expertise, our process knowledge and our high productivity are absolute assets in that regard,” emphasises Nele Van Roey.

“The price of molybdenum is highly volatile, so for a European customer it’s an advantage that we produce locally and can respond quickly. We’re definitely seeing a trend towards buying more locally rather than from Asia, for example.”

What policymakers can do

Sovereignty, local supply and sustainability … all these trends confirm the sector’s potential in Flanders. “This has not gone unnoticed in Europe either,” notes Barbara Veranneman. “At the end of last year, the City of Antwerp was twice honoured for its sustainable chemistry ecosystem at the prestigious European Enterprise Promotion Awards in Copenhagen. That’s a great boost. But now policymakers must also step up to further support these innovations: enabling chemical recycling, developing infrastructure for CCS (carbon capture and storage) and ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable electricity. This will give all companies even more leverage.”

Hans Vloeberghs and Nele Van Roey highlight the importance of continuing to invest in education and talent: “The demand for STEM graduates remains high. They will help to further optimise our production processes and devise the new products that will ensure our future growth. In addition, Flanders still has a lot of work to do, particularly regarding licensing policy: expansion is still too often a never-ending process.”

Sophie Roelants sees a twofold challenge for policymakers at AmphiStar: “European regulations are one thing, but they are still very often interpreted locally within Member States, which is an issue if you’re a scale-up looking to expand. Hopefully, a solution can be found for this. Furthermore, we hope to see more sustainability incentives in public procurement, such as a requirement for a certain percentage of bio-based raw materials or upcycled content. That, too, could be a game-changer.”