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The week in business

Chemicals company Tessenderlo has been fined €83.75 million by the European Commission for price-fixing in the animal feed market. Two other companies were also fined, and two of those initially accused were found not guilty. The Commission said the cartel, which divided up the market in phosphates (used in animal feed) and illegally fixed prices, had been operating for more than 35 years.

Clothing • Sloggi

Underwear company Sloggi has been ordered to remove posters showing women cycling while wearing only underpants in the colours of the Tour de France, after a ruling from the Jury for Ethical Practices in Advertising. The jury said the ads demeaned women. The company defended the posters by saying that it makes underwear, and was only displaying its product.

ICT • RealDolmen

Michel Akkermans, chairman and CEO of e-finance company Clear2Pay, has been named to succeed Ashley Abdo as chairman of ICT company RealDolmen, based in Huizingen. Akkermans graduated in economics and finance from the Catholic University of Leuven before going on to train in computer science and electronic engineering.

Insurance • Avero

Insurance company Avero Belgium has been sold by its Dutch owner, Eureko, to the Swiss group Baloise, for €75 million. Baloise is the parent company of Mercator Verzekeringen of Antwerp. The company said the joint company would have a strong market position as a result of the sale. Media • VMMa The Flemish media company VMMa, owners of VTM and 2BE, are to move into film distribution, in partnership with E1, distributors of films like Law Abiding Citizen and Coco avant Chanel. The company previously diversified into mobile phone operation with Jim Mobile, and also publishes books linked to TV properties like cookery programmes.

Satellite • Thales Alenia

Bremen-based group OHB Technology has taken over Thales Alenia Space Antwerp from its parent company, the French Thales, for an undisclosed sum. The Antwerp company is a specialist in equipment for ground stations for communications and earth-observation satellites. OHB made a previous attempt to acquire Verhaert Space in Kruibeke.

Telephony • Mobistar

Mobistar, which this week (30 July) brings the new iPhone 4 to market in Belgium, last week announced a 3% increase in consolidated net profits for the first half of the year, at €132.4 million. Turnover was up 7.5% to €818.8 million. The company also revised its full-year forecast up slightly, from €210-230 million to €225-245 million.

(July 28, 2024)