#4 – Daan Schalck (CEO North Sea Port) and Filip Verheyen (Division Director Industry, Sweco Belgium) about Industry

Sweco Podcast – Transforming Society Together

Despite some preconceptions or claims, industry is the driving force behind the necessary innovation in climate ambitions. The Flemish industry does not only provide 12% of the employment and 60% of the total export in Flanders, this sector is also responsible for 80% of R&D expenditure. The fact that Flanders is a leader in innovation is something our discussion partners in the field understand perfectly well. Daan Schalck, CEO North Sea Port: "A port is a robust environment, certainly in the Flemish and Dutch context. There are few places in the world where industry, logistics and innovation are so closely intertwined. Here too, a port is so much more than a transhipment platform. The industry has a vision of the future and is well supported in Flanders by initiatives such as Moonshot and Capture, research by top universities, and expertise from engineers in engineering firms such as Sweco. It is a combination of knowledge institutions, authorities and private companies. This allows us to operate effectively and make the connection towards innovation." Filip Verheyen, Division Director Industry at Sweco Belgium, joins in with this 'Triple Helix': "You can indeed consider Sweco as more of an applied knowledge institution. We have long been assisting key industrial customers and effectively tested new technologies together. This will make a difference in the transition to a sustainable society. I can confirm that Flanders is leading the way, especially in the chemical sector."