Belgium has a vibrant, stable and diversified economy with growth rates consistently above the European average, strong corporate investment and vigorous export performance despite the recent global economic slowdown thanks largely to the country’s burgeoning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Belgium’s top companies continued to set the standard in 2008. Europe’s premier brewer InBev announced that it and U.S. brewery giant Anheuser- Busch have agreed to merge, which will form the world’s largest brewer by volume. Chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals leader Solvay posted record company results for the fourth year running. Belgium’s top construction company has nearly finished building the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Dubai, while Belgian dredging companies are involved in building whole islands in the Middle East.
