Gas Transport · Fluxys
The country's gas transport and pipeline operator Fluxys is bidding up to €500 million to acquire Thyssengas, operator of Germany's 4,000-kilometre gas network.

Handling · Brussels Airport
State secretary for mobility Etienne Schouppe has paved the way for a third handler at Brussels Airport when the existing contracts with incumbent operators Aviapartners and Flightcare expire in October 2011. Other players such as Menzies Aviation, Swissport and World Flights Services are said to be interested in the airport, which handles 17 million passengers a year.

Pharmaceuticals · KUL
The Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) and the Euro- pean Investment Fund are investing a further €16 million in the Centre for Drug Design and Discovery, a fund that promotes research and development of drugs against Aids, cancer, asthma, dengue fever and Alzheimer's.

Ports · Sea Invest
Ghent-based stevedoring and transport group Sea Invest has inaugurated a €150 million oil products terminal in the Port of Antwerp. The company has plans to build a further €250 million stocking area nearby to open in 2013 in partner- ship with the Swiss Glencore group.

Ports · Zeebrugge
The Port of Zeebrugge is considering a €600 million investment to develop off-shore docking facilities for large container ships and NLG carriers. This option is seen by port authorities as the only one that can ensure a development of its activities.

Tobacco · ST Group
The Danish-owned Scandinavian Tobacco Group has invested €32.5 million in Lummen, Limburg province, to build Europe's largest cigar production facility. Inaugurated last week, the facility employs some 450 workers - 90 more than in previous facilities in Geel and Leuven - and will produce one billion cigars a year.