Lommel, 20 juni 2011. Today, Kristalpark III will be officially inaugurated by the City of Lommel and LRM, the Limburg-based investment company. Kristalpark III comprises the development of 300 hectares of new business premises in the heart of Europe. In particular, the size of the individual plots make Kristalpark III unique to Europe. The largest continuous plot comprises an area of almost 100 hectares. The total investment for the development of Kristalpark III amounted to over thirty million euros. This has been made possible due to substantial subsidies from Europe and Flanders.

“Lommel has one of the strongest economic growth rates of Limburg and Flanders" emphasised Mayor Peter Vanvelthoven. "At present, the total area of the various industrial parks in our city amounts to no less than 1,337 hectares. The plots of Kristalpark III form part of a continuous industrial zone totalling 900 hectares. Five hundred hectares thereof may be made available to the companies of Flanders. A large-scale company could be established on a continuous area of almost 100 hectares. This is unique in Flanders and even in Western Europe”.

This provides Lommel with a strategic position in Belgium and Europe, where large industrial areas are particularly scarce. Due to its trimodal access (by road, rail, and waterway), the site is also of strategic importance for the Limburg and Flemish economy, since the sites connect the Port of Antwerp with other countries, via both the Iron Rhine Railway and the Canal of Beverlo.

“The space to do business is one of the major advantages of Limburg in order to attract foreign investors. With the development of Kristalpark III, we make the concept of space tangible. In Limburg, companies and foreign investors will find the space necessary to realise their expansion plans" stated Stijn Bijnens, General Manager of the Limburg-based investment company LRM.

Substantial subsidies

The development has been made possible primarily due to European and Flemish subsidies. As part of the Objective 2 programme, a substantial ERDF-subsidy was granted for the development of Kristalpark III (phases A and B) of up to 8.7 million euros, or in other words, 25% of the total investment.
The Flemish Government subsidised the development of Kristalpark III (phases A and B) with over 19 million euros. The allocated amounts also demonstrate the importance Europe and Flanders attach to this project.

History
Kristalpark III is partially located on the former sites of the old gunpowder factory Poudreries Reunions de Belgique (PRB), which went bankrupt some twenty years ago. After this, Balim became the owner of these sites. Eventually, Balim sold the sites to LRM and the City of Lommel. The remaining sites that form part of Kristalpark III were purchased from Nyrstar by the City of Lommel.

In 1997, the site of the former PRB was demilitarised, and in 2001, the remediation work started. Meanwhile, the work was completed in 2004.

Infrastructure works

In mid-2008, the company Carmans commenced the infrastructure works of Kristalpark III, Phase A. The infrastructure works under Phase B were performed by the VBG. The entire project comprised the construction of 7.5 km of access road, nearly 17 km of cycle paths, two petrol stations, two bridges over the railway and a bicycle bridge, 12 km of drainage canals, and five roundabouts.

The business premises are accessible by a double loop structure, which, on the one hand, provides an internal spatial coherence of the various sections of the business premises, and on the other hand, provides equal accessibility for each section.

Throughout the business premises, functional cycle paths have been provided, which perfectly complement the existing cycle paths, which, in turn, connect to some nearby residential areas and the railway station of Lommel.

Different zones

Kristalpark is divided into four different zones. North of the Iron Rhine is the logistics park for companies working in the field of logistics, distribution, and transport, and that have a need for multi-modal transhipment facilities. The total area of this zone comprises approximately 41 hectares.

The most eastern business premises, approximately 154 hectares, have been reserved for the development of a mega project. The premises comprise a large plot of almost 100 hectares, and two relatively smaller premises for suppliers.

South of the Iron Rhine, a large-scale regional business park will be equipped for, among other things, larger production companies. It will comprise approximately 81 hectares.

The purpose of the green business park is to accommodate knowledge-intensive activities, and office space. The area comprises approximately 27 hectares.

In light of the unique and strategic character of this site, including an area for mega projects, and given the current figures of Kristalpark I, an extrapolation of these figures indicates that employment could be provided for 6,650 to 7,500 people.

Lommel takes an ambitious look into the future

"The inauguration of Kristalpark III is a tremendous opportunity for Lommel" stated Mayor Peter Vanvelthoven. "In a high quality and sustainable manner, and with our slogan 'Pure Energy' in mind, we would like to make this industrial park into an example for Flanders and Europe. Kristalpark is an international story, which will put Lommel on the world map economically speaking.”


Further information
Peter Vanvelthoven
Mayor of the City of Lommel
Peter.vanvelthoven@lommel.be
GSM +32 (0)476 90 00 40

Jeffrey Alenus
Sales & Marketing Director LRM
j.alenus@lrm.be
Tel. +32 (0)11 24 68 19
GSM +32 (0)475 93 03 61