BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
SON AND LUMIERE IN AACHEN
[BIZ: Aachen, March 23]
An independent jury has selected Aachen as
one of 27 cities from among 71 to hold a special city marketing show in the second half of
September on the Katschhof between the Cathedral and the City Hall. The show will comprise
the sequences of pictures from German and French coronations. The pictures will be
projected onto the facade of the City Hall facing onto the Katschhof. The project is
initiated and headed by the chief of the Arts Department, Heribert Zantis, and the concept
will be implemented by Jacques Darolles from Rheims in France, who is head of the Centre
National Art et Technologie. An Aachen company will provide the laser projection equipment
and North-Rhine Westphalia will provide a subsidy of around EUR 100,000.
http://www.aachen.de
SPHINX SMILE OF WELCOME
[BIZ: Maastricht, March 21]
Sphinx, the well known Maastricht-based
manufacturer of sanitary equipment, officially known as Koninklijke Sphinx B.V., is to
host the biennial management meeting of its parent corporation Sanitec in Maastricht,
April 3. The Corporation's top 150 executives will take to the river while in Maastricht
and also dine at Chateau Neercanne. Sphinx operates from Maastricht with branches in
Benelux, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, in niche markets in the UK and
Germany and in Exports. It employs 1,100. The parent company, Sanitec Corporation, is a
leading producer of ceramic sanitary equipment, baths and showers and vacuum sewerage
systems. The majority of its 42 plants are in Europe and, with its worldwide sales and
marketing network, it is the business leader in the major European markets. Sanitec
employs about 9,400 people, is quoted on the Helsinki Exchange and has gross sales of
around EUR 1bn.
http://www.sphinxgustavsberg.com
ONLINE PAYMENT
[BIZ: Heerlen, March 21]
Ultradocs in Heerlen is a Reseller-Partner
in the Benelux and Germany for CheckFree i-Solutions and they are proud to announce that
Internet World has named CheckFree's E-Bills and E-Payments through E-mail the 'Best of
the Show' at the Spring Internet World 2001. Today, CheckFree enables 4.4 million
consumers to receive and pay bills electronically. The company has multi-year contracts
with 222 of the US's top billers to provide online billing and payment through nearly 275
financial services organizations, including banks, brokerage firms, Internet portals and
content sites and personal financial management software. CheckFree Software Services
division provides solutions that are used to process more than two-thirds of the US's six
billion Automated Clearing House payments and reconciliation and compliance products and
services to 400 banks and businesses.
http://www.ultradocs.com
CAR AGAIN
[IND: Aachen, March 21]
The Automotive Competence Center for Aachen
and the Meuse-Rhine area (CAR) had its roll out on March 20. This was proceeded by a
demonstration at the test track of the Institut fuer Kraftfahrwesen which gave an
insight into some of the high-tech developments being produced in the Aachen area. CAR put
anti-blocking braking systems (ABS) and electronic stabilization programs (ESP-no, not
that one yet) to the test. Incidentally, this sophisticated electronic equipment helped
the Mercedes 'A' series cars through the famous elk test. The initial primary objective of
CAR is to capitalize on potential synergies of at least 40 organizations in the Aachen
region, with added cross-border contacts. These are included in a list which takes in:
logistics and purchasing, image building, trade fairs, recruitment - including a job web
site - projects and cooperation, competence development, a know-how databank and the
management of virtual activities. The Board includes Guenther Gebhardt of Continental
Tire, Professor Henning Walllentowitz of the Institut fuer Kraftfahrwesen, Dr
Manfred Schaffrath of FEV Motorentechnik; on the executive side are: Herman Ahrens
(Philips), Peter Heuser (Meta), Stephan Mast (Sekurit) and Mathias Popp (Cerobear). The
team is headed by Dr Jochen Otzipka of the Employers Federation.
http://www.rwth-aachen.de/zentral/dez4_car_car.html
AACHEN CHAMBER CHIEF SPEAKS OUT
(Extended Report)
[BIZ: Aachen, March 20]
Michael Wirtz, President of the Aachen
Chamber, spoke to the Chamber's AGM in his characteristically forthright style. After some
initial comments on economic developments, he spoke of the red tape involved in Works
Council activities which frightened foreign business away from Germany and he put
education in the forefront of his concerns. [A widely-shared concern in most European
countries today.Ed] The economy needed people who could speak up for themselves and had
higher levels of social competence, a solid foundation in German, Mathematics and,
increasingly, foreign languages and foreign experience, he said. Lifelong learning was
another theme to which the Chamber had contributed in its E-learning Academy. Further
issues included the development of a modern, attractive immigration law that would not
frighten potential immigrants away and youth employment.
The location of a BMW plant in the
region was a separate issue, in which the physical infrastructure played an important
role. One potential location in the area had been turned down, because of inadequate
infrastructure, but the city of Euskirchen was still in the race. In respect of the
highway infrastructure, Mr Wirtz pointed out that with the expansion of the EU to the East
there would be an increase of 50 per cent in traffic. As it would be unlikely that this
would be solved by rail expansion, this would mean additional annual expenditure of EUR
7.5 on the highway infrastructure.
Mr Wirtz said there should be no ban on
the discussion of road pricing. He looked forward to the development of the Iron
Rhine rail link and called for increased investment in the development of
Maastricht-Aachen Airport. In respect of Meuse-Rhine, he pointed to the need for
political will to transfer authority to the Euroregion's Parliament, to the importance of
Avantis, the Eurode Business Center and the Euregionale Conference in 2008. Cooperation
with the Chambers in Eupen and Maastricht was emphasized, as were the joint Internet
databank with the Maastricht Chamber, the Dutch/German Business Club and the Chamber's
Starters' Portal. The academic infrastructure passed review: with 5 universities, 6
tertiary institutions, 2 distance-learning institutions, 1500 professors, 100,000
students, and 250,000 businesses in the region. There was also the new Fraunhofer
Institute for Macromolecular Biotechnology, Aachen being the only city to have
three Fraunhofer Institutes. Juelich and the Spallation Neutron Source were
mentioned (worth EUR 1.02bn) and a range of activities - many mentioned in earlier
editions of this newsletter. Finally, Mr Wirtz said that Aachen must be a good mix of
all it had to offer.
http://www.aachen-ihk.de
START-UPS IN HASSELT
[BIZ: Hasselt, March 12]
X-Change in Hasselt is becoming well known.
Its third edition took place on March 7 and the principle, like that of First Tuesday, is
to bring starters and those active in the new economy together with venture capitalists or
other sponsors. It takes place in the loft at De Gregorio and Partners, a firm of
architects, and the venture capitalists were Luc Demey (Fillfactory), Bart de Witte
(Livios), Peter Grognard (Septentrio), Stephan Verdood (Starlab) and Dirk Guldemont and
Stefan Ackermans (4FM). X-Change can expect support from RCA, Philips, Care4Data,
Interelectra and IPTE. The next X-position will take place on June 6. Information can be
found on the link given below, under the X-Change button.
http:/www.vkw.be
INNOVATIVE ASSET
MANAGEMENT
[BIZ: Heerlen, February 1]
ABP, one of the world's top three Pension
Funds, in terms of size, has announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement
to create a jointly-owned subsidiary focused on partnering with Innovative Asset
Management Specialty Firms with State Street Global Advisors, the investment management
arm of State Street Corporation. The new firm State Street Global Alliance LLC builds on a
three-year initiative called SSgA Global Alliance, established in 1997 as an operating
unit of SSgA to seek out innovative, nascent asset management firms that complement SSgA's
existing investment strategies. To date, the unit has been expanded with eight
participating companies. Of those eight, four will join the new entity - known as State
Street Global Alliance LLC. These are: Advanced Investment Technology (AIT), a US equity
quantitative fund manager; Boston Capital Management, a holding company for Pallade Asset
Management, a Moscow-based fund manager; Rexiter Capital Management, a London-based active
fundamental emerging markets manager, and The Tuckerman Group, a manager of real estate
investment portfolios based in Purchase, New York. ABP's participation in the alliance
takes a variety of forms, including as a minority equity investment partner in State
Street Global Alliance LLC, using the alliance's managers for selected ABP funds and in
collaboration on research and product development. The partnership will provide additional
resources and expertise to add innovative and non-traditional investment management
companies to the Global Alliance.
http://www.ssga.com/cc_gethtml.cfm/f+news/press
LOGISTICS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
PORT-RAIL LINK
[LOG: Liège, March]
Plans are being forged to develop
intermodality between water transport and rail in Liège. An interdisciplinary working
group has been set up at the initiative of the Minister, Michael Daerden, to determine the
multimodal platform needs and the need for rail investment. Key figures are
Marie-Dominique Simonet, MD of the autonomous port of Liège, Mayor Willy Demeyer and
Chief Councillor William Ancion. Four downstream sites are in the running for
inter-modal facilities: Hermalle, Vise, Lon and Argenteau. The first step is a feasibility
study and an adequate budget.
http://www.lameuse.be
YACHT CLUB FACELIFT
[LOG: Liège, March]
The Port of Liège has run a yachting
harbour since 1972 near the Palais des Congrès. The port reaches the heart of yachting
tourism in Liège. The harbour currently provides for more than 1,000 yachts annually. It
has had a facelift and at the furthest reach downstream from the Mole, there is a
spectacular reproduction of a diver, three meters in height, dominating the Meuse at the
summit of a 10 meter steel arch. At the other end of the port, a start has been made on
the development of a new yacht club, known as the Capitainerie, designed by Nadine
E.Buol of the Bureau d'Architecture du Botanique in Liège, it will be built by Batitec of
Soumagne. This news comes to us from the new website of the Port of Liège, which has
recently gone live.
http://www.liege.port-autonome.be/news.htm
NOISE MEASURE
[LOG: Liège, March 22]
The Walloon Minister of Economic Affairs,
Serge Kubla, announced that a large screen is to be erected near Bierset to provide
dialogue with those living near the airport. The screen will show them which aircraft
exceed the accepted sound levels. Those who suffer health problems, as a result, will also
be able to sell their houses, which many of them apparently intend to do.
http://www.limburger.nl
A VISIT TO THE IRON RHINE
[INFRA: Roermond, March 15]
A committee from the North Rhine Westphalia
parliament made a visit to the Iron Rhine (the trans-Limburg Belgo-German rail link) on
March 16. They looked at the route through the Meinweggebied with local
politicians, discussed the problems of its re-activation and also looked at alternative
policies. They were advised by the Governor of Limburg, Baron van Voorst tot Voorst. The
Mayors of Venlo and Weert and project manager Lavell of Rijkswaterstaat were also
involved. Regierungspraesident Buessor of Duesseldorf was present, as were members of the
Chamber of Commerce for North and Central Limburg. Hosts were deputies Vestjens, Mayor
Kaiser and Councillor Schwachten from Roermond, Mayor Braam and Councillor Neijen from
Roerdalen and Mr Bossenbroek of the Forest Service. The conclusion of their deliberations
is awaited with interest.
http://www.limburg.nl
THE NON-PROFIT ECONOMY
[INFRA:Liège, March 14]
Last month a network to promote durable
development in the region came together in Aachen. The partners in the network were SPI+,
VHS Eupen, Oikos (Eupen), Econet Bilzen, Pro Arbeit e.V.for Aachen and PSW
Arbeidsmarktadvies for Maastricht. These organizations, according to Christian Lebouille
director of the Social Economy unit of SPI+, are associated in promoting development which
is socially, economically and environmentally in balance in Meuse-Rhine and in particular,
in helping the disadvantaged to enter economic life. Liège will be playing an active role
in this Euroregional partnership at the request of the other partners. SPI+ will be the
permanent coordinator. It will allow a comparison between those needs that are covered and
those that are not, based on the identification of new employment opportunities. The
non-profit sector is currently a focus of interest. SPI+ is going to develop a network for
transfrontier activity in the economy.
http://www.lalibre.be/article_print.phtml?art_id=1393
NO LINK-UP WITH SCHIPHOL
[INFRA: Maastricht, March 13]
Maastricht Aachen Airport will not be
entering into any cooperative association with Schiphol. A draft business plan was set up
at the end of last year, but as a result of discussions both parties have concluded that
cooperation is currently impossible, because the financial conditions imposed by Schiphol
relating to the guarantees to be provided by the shareholders will not be met. MAA will be
looking for new partners and setting up a new shareholder structure in the near future. It
is rumoured that discussions with British Airports Authority have been inconclusive.
Nevertheless, the airport can draw hope from the exhortation by the President of the
Aachen Chamber, Michael Wirtz, for people in the Aachen region to make a greater
investment in what is their airport too.
http://www.maa.nl
GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION
INTERREG III
[GOV: Maastricht, March 23]
Information on interreg III grants is
available from the Meuse-Rhine Euroregional Authority on Interreg III, telephone
0031.43.3897275 or by e-mail to rudolfgodesar@euregio-mr.nl. The period of subsidy runs
from 2000 through 2006. The projects may not start before November 29, 2000 and not before
the submission of the application to the project management. All projects must be
completed within the time indicated and no later than June 30, 2008. Financial aspects of
the projects must be completed within the period and no later than September 30, 2008. The
maximum duration of a project is three years. Requests must be submitted for approval by
July 1, 2007.
Projects must be eligible within the Community Initiative Interreg III program.
Each project must have a clear transfrontier character.
They must be in accord with the objectives and criteria of the European Union.
In addition to EU regulations governing
financial support, conditions of co-financing agencies also apply.
Projects, in which enterprises take part,
must be in keeping with the provisions of national and European competition law.
Applicants can be:
- organizations incorporated in public law,
- legal persons in private law with full
capacity,
- Personenhandelsgesellschaften
- natural persons who run businesses.
The amounts of the project costs must, in
principle, be greater than EUR 100,000.
http://www.euregio-mr.nl
SCHOOLS VISIT NEDCAR
[EDU: Born, March 23]
Career advisors from 20 secondary and
vocational schools in Limburg paid a visit to NedCar. Corporate Communications Manager
Corinne van Iersel pointed to a number of activities by means of which NedCar intends to
develop its relations with local schools. These included tours of the plant, internships,
regular talks to be given at schools and in-service training. NedCar is also offering a
prize for technical school students.
http://www.nedcar.nl
EXTRA CASH FROM NL PROVINCE
[GOV: Maastricht, March 15]
The Provincial Government of Limburg has
allocated extra funding for Limburg projects to the amount of EUR 86m. This is additional
to the EUR 132.97m allocated for the 1999-2003 period. Of this amount EUR 44.5m can be
used for new investment and approximately EUR 48.9m for running costs. The areas involved
are major projects, the environment, care and culture, work and infrastructure, highways
and facilities - in the sense of organizational development, human resources, education
and communication.
http://www.limburg.nl
HELP FROM FLANDERS
[GOV: Maastricht, March 15]
The Flemish Prime Minister and the
Governors of Limburg, North Brabant and Zeeland have affirmed their cooperative and its
importance. EU developments and regional consequences will play a greater role in
cooperation and it has been determined that in future consultations will be continued at
the current level and that contributions may be made to the solution of transfrontier
issues at the strategic level. Flemish-South Netherlands cooperation is complementary to
existing agreements, but it will play a focal role among them. Attempts will be made to
determine whether improvement or reduction in the consultative bodies can be achieved.
Topics discussed were access and mobility, planning, knowledge development and a joint
position on European issues.
http://www.limburg.nl
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY
[EDU: Aachen, March 15]
Professor Klaus Selle is thinking deeply
about Euregionale 2008 in his role as an advisor. One project that emerges in an article
in the Aachener Zeitung is the proposal to establish a European school in the area;
perhaps even an university. The first stage, according to the professor, is to discuss
things in an Internet forum.
In the words of Robert Esser of the
Aachener Zeitung: "Concrete examples will be proposed in the run up phase, without
any guarantee of their achievement". In the view ofProfessor Selle, the exemplary
nature of the application model is what is important.
http://www.aachener-zeitung.de
CUTTING RED TAPE
[GOV: Liège, March 14]
Meuse-Rhine President Juergen Roters paid a
working visit to Liège March 13 to look at a comparative analysis of government and
administrative structures in the five constituent regions. This should increase the
transparency and efficiency in preparation and implementation of transfrontier projects in
the context of the Interreg III program. Roters commented on the complexity of the German
administrative structure and the slimmed-down version in the Netherlands. At stake is the
efficient distribution of EUR 50m through to 2006. More than had been available under
Interreg I (EUR 23m) and Interreg II (EUR 37m).
http://www.euregio-mr.org
VIRTUAL SCHOOL
[EDU: Aachen, March 14]
As a follow on to last year's joint council
session of the cities of Aachen, Hasselt, Heerlen, Liège and Maastricht, the German
Liberal party (FDP) has prepared a virtual Euroregional school project (AVES). The virtual
school is intended to provide an overview of the educational structures in the three
countries to enable comparisons. The objective is improved cooperation, which will lead to
a partnership fair for schools, Euroregional school consultation or transfrontier
internships. Educational materials are also an option. There has already been contact
among liberal party groups in the region and a sum of EUR 17bn is available for
transfrontier networks in education. The sum is certainly sufficient to cause some rubbing
of hands. Meike Thuellen and FDP Educational Spokesman Edda Herberich have been the
prime movers in this project.
http://www.aachenerzeitung.de
TRI-NATIONAL PARK
[GOV: Maastricht, March 14]
An international working group from
Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, with support of the Secretary General of the
Benelux, has drawn up a project document describing the process, the product planning cost
and funding to develop a tri-national park, taking in the South Limburg Mergelland hill
country, the Belgian Fouron area and the Herve plateau, an area internationally known for
its attractive villages, half-timbered farms, castles, hills and dales and its association
with Aachen, Maastricht and Liège. The project is intended to take advantage of the
excellent potential of the area.
http://www.limburg.nl
EUROREGIONAL POLICE DATABANK
[GOV: Maastricht, March]
The police in Limburg have requested the
establishment of a Euroregional databank. The computer archives would include DNA profiles
of violent offenders and the normal descriptive data including fingerprints, etc. The data
will be placed at the disposal of the police districts of South Limburg, Verviers, Tongres
and Aachen. Discussions are currently being held between the police in Aachen and Limburg.
http://www.politie.nl/Limburg-Zuid/
INTERREG EXPENDITURE
[GOV: Maastricht, March]
The Meuse-Rhine Euroregional Authority in
its periodical, Europa Concrete, has listed the disbursement of funds revealing
that EUR 35.7m were invested in Meuse-Rhine over the past six years, 15 per cent going to
planning and infrastructures; 28 per cent going to economic cooperation, innovation and
tourism; 26 per cent going to environmental protection; 11 per cent going to the
employment market and education; 15 per cent going to networks and cultural
infrastructures and social policy and 5 per cent going to program management.
http://www.euregio-mr.org
MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY
LIMBURG LINKS IN PRINT
[TECH: Hoensbroek, March 22]
An Internet company, called Regionaal Nieuws Limburg,
is going to produce a newspaper with links to sites, 28 pages long, which will be
delivered door-to-door with the Trompetter to 500,000 households in Limburg on June
1 this year. Publisher Wim Meissen from Hoensbroek has found advertisers to sponsor this
edition.
http://www.speedygonzales.nl/limburg
EUROGRESS VIRTUAL TOUR
[TECH: Aachen, March 19]
The Eurogress Aachen now allows a virtual tour of its
premises via the Internet. This gives the surfer access to the calendar of events, a
glimpse of the premises and also allows them to purchase tickets on line. There is also a
CD rom available with additional information produced in cooperation with the Dorint
Quellenhof Hotel. Webmaster is Beatrix Karlsberg.
http://www.eurogress-aachen.de
INTELLIGENT ZEBRA CROSSINGS
[TECH: Liège, March 17]
The celebrated Liège inventor Tony
Cavaleri has come up with a new idea. Designed to protect children and those not so quick
of foot when crossing the road, Cavaleri has developed a zebre crossing which is
illuminated from below and visible 30-40 meters away. The crossing lights up as soon as
someone starts to cross. Costs can range from EUR 1,250 and EUR 12,500, depending on the
nature of the terrain and the work involved.
http://www.aachenerzeitung.de
THANK YOU LIEGE
[MED: Liège, March 15]
The Dutch authorities have sent a message
of thanks to the CHU in Liège and other Belgian establishments for their help on New
Year's Eve when a discotheque in Volendam caught fire resulting in dozens of young people
with serious burns. Of the 120 wounded, 35 are still in hospitals in Belgium, the
Netherlands and Germany. The parents have been particularly appreciative of the splendid
care that they have received in Liège and Mr Van Ettro, the Dutch Consul in Liège and
Mrs Huysmans have thanked the hospital and staff for all they have done and addressed
themselves to Professor Bouffioux, the hospital's director.
http://www.lameuse.be
MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES AT tUL
[MED: Maastricht, March 15]
The new School of Molecular Life Sciences
at the transnational university of Limburg will open in September 2002 with one bachelors
program and three masters programs. Jo de Mey, Professor of Vascular Pharmacology and
member of the Faculty of Medicine's board through April 1, has been appointed Dean of the
School of Molecular Life Sciences; one of the three scientific disciplines in addition to
IT, maths, information science/information technology and educational science, which will
be taught at the transnational university. The Bachelors program will be a science degree,
but will include social science subjects. It will be given in Dutch; the Masters program
will be given in English. Masters topics developed so far include clinical molecular
sciences, nutrition and environmental toxicology and bio informatics, starting in 2005.
(cf the Fraunhofer Institute for Macromolecular Biotechnology in Aachen).
http://www.unimaas.observant.nl
RECORD GROWTH FOR ELSA
[TECH: Aachen, March 14]
ELSA reports record revenue growth and
positive results for fiscal year 2000, with revenue growing 58 per cent to EUR 361m
exceeding market growth rates. Positive group results were EUR 1.2m, which confirms a
turnaround in earnings. ELSA is one of the leading providers of Internet Access and
Graphics solutions for the PC.
http://www.elsa.com
LIOF STAKE IN ABAQUE
[TECH: Maastricht, March 10]
The Limburg Development Company LIOF has
taken a 25 per cent stake in the Voerendaal IT company Abaque. The Voerendaal company
specializes in providing software on line for administrative office management purposes.
The company employs 20 and has sales of EUR 2.96m last year.
http://www.abaque.nl
ONLINE PHARMACISTS
[MED: Duesseldorf, March 8]
Pharmacists in North Rhine Westphalia are
going to provide information about emergency services on line. This will involve 2,523
pharmacists in the state of North Rhine Westphalia.
http://www.apotheker-nordrhein.de
AACHEN STARTERS PORTAL
[TECH: Aachen, March]
Aachen's Chamber of Commerce has
established an Internet portal for starters in the Aachen, Dueren, Heinsberg and
Euskirchen region. The portal offers advice to young business people, services, events,
news and a know-how databank for everything they need to know about setting up an
independent business. Each starter will be able to access news groups and forums via his
or her own login. Chamber's general manager, Juergen Drewes, views the portal as offering
the opportunity to provide more efficient customer-oriented advice.
http://www.aachen-ihk.de/gruenderportal.htm
AACHEN AT CEBIT 2001
[TECH: Aachen, March]
CeBIT, the world's top IT Trade Fair, has
60 exhibitors from the Aachen region this year. The economic news pages on the Chamber of
Commerce website lists them all and gives the observations of managers of seven of the
firms that appeared this year. They were CAE Elektronik, Stolberg, CSB-System,
Geilenkirchen, Datus AG, Aachen, Elsa AG, Aachen, Irkas Systemtechnik, Wuerselen, Kerpen
Special, Stolberg and Sihl Di:RECT, Dueren. The other companies participating are listed.
http://www.aachen-ihk.de
TELECOM PLATFORM PRESIDENT
[TECH: Liège, March]
The Board of the Telecom operators and
service providers Platform in Liège has appointed Madame Christine Castelein MD of
Worldcom Belux as President to succeed Pierre Verbrugge, who has been President since
Platform's creation in 1997. Michel de Coster, MD of Colt Telecom, and Clement Costers,
financial director of Telenet have been appointed Vice-presidents. The Platform includes
A.S.T.R.I.D., Brutele, B-Telecom, BT Belgium, Cable&Wireless Belgium, Codenet, Colt
Telecom, Debitel Belgium, Dolphin Telecom Belgium, Global One Communications, GTS Belgium,
Interoute Belgium, Kast Telecom, KPN Belgium, KPN Orange Belgium, KPN RAM Mobile Data
Belgium, Level 3 communications, Mobistar, NetNet, RSL, COM Belgium, Telenet Operaties,
UPC Belgium, Versatel Telecom Belgium, Viatel Belgium and Worldcom Belux. This information
is reported in the March issue of Liège Province d'Europe.
http://www.lpe.be
GILLAM-FEI IN AMSTERDAM
[TECH: Liège, March]
Gillam-FEi will be at the CIRED 2001 World
Congress in Amsterdam RAI from June 18 through June 21. The fair focuses on the
electrical distribution industry where Gillam-FEi plays an important part with its Lynx
DMS network management system.
http://www.gillam.be
IONIC SOFTWARE HOSTS CIA
[TECH: Liège, March]
IONIC Software s.a. was recently awarded a
contract by the Open GIS Consortium (OGC) on the topic of standardization of geoservices,
producing specifications and Java components to implement these specifications. The OGC
solicited technology proposals for the OGC Geospatial Fusion Services (GFS) Testbed. OGC
and In-Q-Tel, a non-profit corporation chartered by the United States Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), are working together to jointly sponsor the multi-company GFS
Testbed project.
The GFS Testbed project automatically
interconnects data with geospatial components. IONIC will be sponsoring and hosting the
Open GIS Technical Committee in Liège in April.
http://www.ionicsoft.com
LEISURE
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
[LEI: Stolberg, March 27]
One of the unsung pleasures of local history is to pay a
visit to one of the industrial museums. The Zinkhuetter Hof in Stolberg is a particularly
fine example. Since the museum opened in 1996, the program has included a permanent
exhibition dealing with Stolberg zinc and needles from Aachen, alternating with other
chapters in the industrial economic and social history of the area. The excellent guided
tours
are much to be recommended and, with luck, you may have the
good fortune to be guided around the museum by Madame Christine Armbruster who, in
addition to her excellent German, also speaks her native French.
http://www.zinkhuetter-hof.de
WALKING AROUND LIEGE
[LEI: Liège,
March 26]
The traditional walks around Liège, for
which one must reserve beforehand, are on again with the cathedral area on April 1, the
hills between town and countryside on April 15, old walls and belfries on May 6. A full
program can be obtained from the tourist office in Liège. Telephone 0032.4.221.92.21
http://www.liege.be
THE KING OF ITALY
[LEI: Zonhoven, March 25]
Selezioni Vini Italiani of Hasselt and Zonhoven
succeeded in attracting the charismatic Angelo Gaja to preside over a tasting of Gaja wine
from Piedmont on March 25. Gaja, known as the Le Petrus of Italy, has been winemaker of
the year in the Wine Spectator Man of the Year in the decanter. It is quite an achievement
to attract him to the area. However, the same house has also managed to attract the
delectable Ornella Muti in the past.
http://www.proximedia.com/local/selezione-v-i/home.html
EUROREGIONAL FAIR
[LEI: Aachen, March]
The Euregio Wirtschaftsschau, recently held in
Aachen, attracted more than 100,000 visitors to its many attractions. It did not, however,
receive much coverage in the Meuse-Rhine press. An accessible website might be a useful
option.
http://www.webcontentnow.com
LIEGE JAZZ FESTIVAL
[LEI: Liège,
March 25]
The 11th International Festival of Jazz
will be held on May 4 and 5 , 2001 at the Palais des Congres. There will be 26 bands from
16 countries and they will include the European Jazz Ensemble, Paolo Fresu, Daniel Humair,
Joachim Kuhn, Steve Houben and Didier Lockwood. There will also be recitals by the Joe
Lovano Quartet, the New York Singers, Terry Line Carrington and on the Belgian side, the
Philippe Catherine Quartet, Reves d'Elephants, Robert Jeanne-Francois Maljean and
Greetings from Mercury and many others, enough to make for a very interesting weekend.
http://www.lameuse.be
VAN DIS IN THE FLESH
[LEI: Heerlen, March 25]
The well known Dutch author and TV
personality, Adriaan van Dis, spent an evening in Heerlen at Hotel Max and dined with a
group of his fans. He revealed himself to be a relaxed and open personality in the flesh,
far less distant than his TV image makes him appear. He also turned out to be an excellent
mimic - though could be faulted on his pronunciation of Chinese. A six course dinner was
served at Hotel Max and each of the courses related to one of his works. South
Africa, China and growing up in Holland all passed review. However, Van Dis confessed that
he actually rather liked Limburg and completed most of his work in the neighbourhood of
Gulpen.
http://www.schrijversnet.nl/dis.htm
COME TO HERKENRODE
[LEI: Hasselt, March 15]
The City of Hasselt, the Department of the
Countryside of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Heritage Trust are organizing an
information campaign on the Abbey of Herkenrode for Sunday April 22, 200, which is also
Flanders Day.
http://www.hasselt.be
SANDRA LILGE
[LEI: Thimister-Clermont, March]
There will be an exhibition of the painting
of Sandra Lilge at the Galerie Clermont, Place de la Halle 37, Thimister-Clermont on April
1 through May 1. Sandra Lilge was born in Mexico City and has had exhibitions in Germany
and Mexico.
http://www.galerie-clermont.com/sandra.lilge/
LAURENS BISSCHEROUX
[LEI: Heerlen, March]
On Sunday April 1, at 15.00 hrs an
exhibition entitled "Laurens Bisscheroux in his time" will be held at the City
Gallery Heerlen. The opening will be by Dr Sjeng Kremers, the former Governor of the
Province of Limburg and the introduction will be by the Master Builder, Professor Jo
Coenen. The exhibition runs from April 1 through June 10. Bisscheroux was a Heerlen
architect and artist and in addition to his designs, drawings, models and photos, there
will also be a number of his paintings. The exhibition will be held in the multi-media
presentation area. Bisscheroux was responsible for a number of important buildings in
Limburg, including the Rodahal and staggered housing in Kerkrade and the partly
subterranean Andreas church and AZM building in Heerlen. Some of his designs were on
display at the Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven and also have been in the Museum of Modern Art
in New York.
http://www.stadsgalerijheerlen.nl
WERNER MANTZ
[LEI: Maastricht, March]
The fourth Werner Mantz photography prize
exhibition with the works of Gosbert Adler, Jean-Chistophe Ballot, Jan Kempenaars, Frank
van der Salm and Paul Seawright will be opened on Saturday March 31 at 17.00 hrs at the
Capucijnenstraat 98 in Maastricht by the Governor Baron van Voorst tot Voorst. The
Foundation awards prizes every three years for photography. The prize is associated with a
theme. In 2001, on the occasion of Werner Mantz' 100 birthday, the theme of the prize will
be 'the city and the photographer's strategy'. Werner Mantz was born in Cologne and moved
to Maastricht in 1932.
http://www.wernermantz.nl
EXCELLENCE
[LEI: Lanaken, March]
Excellence, the new lifestyle fair, a joint
production of Kohnen Beursorganisatie and the MECC in Maastricht, will be held at the
Pietersheim estate in Lanaken, Belgium from June 1 through 4, 2001. The 130 exhibitors
will be making their presentation in cubes. There will be an e-lounge, a loft and,
unsurprisingly, a trend show. There will also be a Women's Club which will start off with
a tea party. On Saturday there is a family day with a special children's village.
http://www.excellence-lifestyle.com
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