Autos · Volvo
The Ghent-based Volvo assembly unit will increase production to 250,000 vehicles this year to meet demand for its best-selling S60 model. The move, which entails hiring an additional 200 workers, comes after the company earmarked a further investment of €200 million in the plant. Volvo Trucks, also in Ghent, is also looking to hire more than 200 workers for the launch of the FE Hybrid truck in June and to push output to some 144 trucks a day. About 3,500 workers are already employed on the site.

Banking · KBC
A range of institutions, including the US KKR investment fund, the Swiss Credit Suisse and the French Credit Agricole have shown interest in buying KBC's Luxembourg-based KBL private banking affiliate. Few, however, are expected to pay more than €1.1 billion, significantly less than the €1.35 billion offered by the Indian Hinduja bank but rejected by Luxembourg authorities on transparency grounds.

Energy · Keppel Seghers
The Keppel Seghers water treatment company, based in Willebroek, Antwerp province, and owned by the Singapore Keppel group, has won a €187 million contract to build a co-generation power plant in the Manchester area fuelled with household garbage.

Leisure · Plopsaland
Theme park operator and TV producer Studio 100 is investing €8 million in its Plopsaland park in De Panne on the coast. The new indoor facilities will feature a Maya the Bee theme, owned by the company.

Restaurants · Chez Leon
The Brussels-based Chez Leon restaurant group, best known for its mussels, fries and typical brasserie atmosphere, is launching a chain of restaurants in China called Fritkot, as a follow up to the success of the its Belgian frietjes stand at last year's world exhibition in Shanghai.

Software · GIMV
The Flanders government investment fund GIMV has sold its stake in the British Psytechnics voice recognition software to the US Netscouts Systems.

Telecommunications · Belgacom
The country's leading telecommunications company has won a €36 million contract over four years to supply mobile telephone services to the European Union