Bekaert Corporate Brochure Final 2013

8/10/2019 Bekaert Corporate Brochure Final 2013

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Supporting your business worldwide


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Contents PLEASED TO MEET YOU

WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER

4 Introducing Bekaert

6 Global presence to support

your business

10 Developing for tomorrow

13 Expanding our horizons

since 1880

YOUR BUSINESS,

OUR BUSINESS

16 The automotive sector

18 The construction sector

20 The energy & utilities sector

22 Consumer goods

23 The equipment sector

24 The agricultural sector

25 The basic materials sector

THE WORLD AROUND US,

OUR SHARED CONCERN

26 Sustainability is in our DNA

28 Part of your life

BETTER TOGETHER

30 better togetherstories


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4

Introducing Bekaert

Who We Are

- Founded in 1880

- A world market and technology leader in steel wire transformationand coatings

- The world's largest independent manufacturer of drawn steel wire products

- Customers in over 120 countriesand in diverse markets and sectors

- 27 000 employeesworldwide

- Headquarters in Belgium

- Combined sales in 2012: 4.4 billion

- Consolidated sales in 2012: 3.5 billion

- Listed on EuronextBrussels (BEKB)

- Reporting under IFRS

- Chairman of the Board of Directors: Baron Buysse

- Chief Executive Ocer: Bert De Graeve

www.bekaert.com

4


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Bekaert is unique for its combination of metaltransformation and coating technologies, which hasbrought forth a wide variety of products, tailored toour customers needs.

Our primary raw material is wire rod, purchasedfrom steel suppliers all over the world in 250 dierentcompositions to produce wire products that meetthe highest expectations.

Bekaert employs unique metal treatment technologies

to deliver a quality portfolio of drawn steel wire

products and coating solutions on a global scale.We are passionate about nding the next market trend

so we can help you strengthen your market position.

Strength through synergyTransforming steel wire and applying coating

technologies, that is our core business. We have over

130 years of experience in creating wire products of

the form, quality and composition best suited to

your needs. Working together, we draw on this

expertise to develop the right solutions for you.

Our primary raw material is wire rod we purchase

more than 2.7 million tons annually. Depending on your

requirements, we draw wire from it in differentstrengths and diameters, even as thin as ultrane

bers of 1 micron. We group the wires into cords,

weave or knit them into fabric, or process them into an

end-product. Our market-oriented innovation

guarantees an up-to-date product portfolio with new

products and new functionalities that are better,

stronger, faster, longer-lasting, and ever more

materially-efcient.

Depending on the application, we apply high-tech

coatings which reduce friction, improve corrosion

resistance, or enhance wear resistance. Together, our

core technological competences give you an edge in

your market.

Focus on two core competences

Strength through synergy. This applies not only to our

customer relationships, but also to the way we

combine our core technological competences.

Bekaerts entire product portfolio is centered around

two major technology axes: steel wire transformation

and coatings.

Steel wire transformationfocuses on the bulk

properties of our products: nding the right metal

composition, using the appropriate thermal treat-ments, and implementing different forming and joining

techniques to obtain the properties needed. Strength,

ductility, fatigue-resistance, shape and dimensions,

conductivity, magnetic permeability our processes

provide you with the wire product you need.

Coating technologiesfocus on the surface proper-

ties of our products: selecting the right surface

treatments for the material and depositing the right

amount (from nanometers to micrometers) of just

about any material (metals, polymers, ceramics) onto

the base. Adhesion, corrosion or wear resistance,

aesthetic appearance, anti-fouling behavior coating

the product properly can optimize its performance.

Our customers not only benet from innovative

products and solutions, they can rely on Bekaerts

proprietary manufacturing processes: we make our

quality products efciently and on an industrial scale.

better together: the core of our corporatephilosophy

Throughout its long history, Bekaert has bel ieved in

the value of strong partnerships and sustainable

customer relationships. better togethersums up the

unique cooperative approach for Bekaert and its

business partners.

We want to help you grow your business. We want to

know what challenges you face, how you view new

developments, how you plan to grow, and where you

need greater efciency. We want to meet your needs

and offer you added value for both now and in the

longer term.

What we have to offer

better togetheris built on over 130 years of expertise, a tradition of operational excellence, openness to the wider world,and responsiveness to new trends and developments the same factors that make Bekaert world market and technology leader.


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6

Global presence to supportyour business

6

Being part of your solution means being part of your business. Backed by our global presence we can respondquickly to your needs, wherever you are located.


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You can rely on our worldwide production and sales network to meet your needs quickly and effectively.

Our sales network is close at handEuropean by origin, Bekaert has grown into a global

player active on every continent. You can rely on a

worldwide sales network that is responsive to market

changes. Bekaert believes that its performance is

directly related to the skills and motivation of its

people. You will be working with highly trained andresult-driven professionals whose constant aim is to

create added value for your business. This way, you

get the most from our global reach: our expertise,

our efciency, our proximity.

Our production network strengthens yoursBecause the success of your business is important to

us, we work constantly to strengthen our global

manufacturing footprint. With production facilities

worldwide, we are able to meet the needs of our

customers and our markets quickly and effectively.

We align our facilities with local requirements while

ensuring they conform to our international standards ofquality and safety.

Bekaert is present wherever you do business.

Our Latin American investments date back to the

1950s and we continue to strengthen our strategic

position still further there.

In Asia, we were one of the rst companies to

recognize the vast opportunities the Chinese market

has to offer. Today we operate more than 20 sites at

10 locations there. Our Indian, Indonesian and

Malaysian plants are ideally positioned to serve both

the domestic and the broader Asian and Pacic

markets.

When demand grew in Central and Eastern Europe,

we directed our focus to that region too.

Bekaert obviously also maintains strong positions in

North America and Western Europe. But for Bekaert,

close to the customer is about more than geography.

We are guided by your plans, your priorities, and your

approach.

Committed in products and approachOur commitment to you is not just about product

quality. We also demonstrate this commitment in the

way we meet your needs and desires. We talk to you

about what you want in terms of product quality,

production methods, and processes. Then, products,

planning, delivery performance, and inventory

management are all based around that dialogue.

Our high exibility enables us to match production

capacity to market demand, working tirelessly to

ensure that our products and our approach are just

what you need.

Driven to excelAnyone who has worked with Bekaert knows how

committed we are to total quality. We have spent

many decades rening our total quality management

program and expanding it into new areas.

Through benchmarking across locations, divisions,

continents, and teams, we select the best practices

and spread them throughout our worldwide

organization. Total quality management is the

springboard from which we pursue our constant drive

for excellence.

After all, operational excellence is what ensures that

our customers are satised.


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We are present wherever you are. Backed by Bekaert's global presence and technological support, customers

can benet from our commitment to local service. You can rely on our worldwide production and sales network

to meet your needs quickly and eectively.

plants

offices and distribution centers

Financial gures 2012

Latin America7 900 personnel

Combined sales:

1 690 million

38%

North America1 600 personnel

Combined sales:

659 million

15%

Where shall we meet?

Steady

growth

Back to

the core


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EMEA6 000 personnel

Combined sales:

1 040 million

24%

Asia-Pacifc11 500 personnel

Combined sales:

998 million

23%

.

: :

Adapting

to change

Solidifying

market

positions


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Developing for tomorrow

Innovation profle

- High investments in R&D

- An international team of 400 R&D specialists- R&D centers in Belgiumand Chinaand development labsworldwide

- Dedicated pilot lines for specic product and process development

- A portfolio of close to 2 000 patents rights

- Market-driven R&Dto better serve current and new customer needs

- Open innovationat work: a majority of projects are run in close cooperation with

external partners such as customers, universities, or research centers

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Strategicguidance

Idea evaluation& selection

Concept

assessment

Projectassessment

MarketIntroduction

Technical

Assistance

Ideageneration

Feasabilitystudy

Researchproject

Developmentproject

Market-driven R&D is based on a structured, multi-phase innovation process.

R&D is key for Bekaert as it offers our customers the mostinnovative solutions and secures our technological leadershipposition. We attach particular importance to co-development,starting from highly specic problems or business situations.

They work together on cutting edge projects in

countries across the globe and consist of top class

engineers from all over the world.

Supporting customers with enhanced product

performance

Developing new products is important. But improvingproducts or providing green alternatives is equally key

for providing our customers a competitive edge in their

market.

Some examples:

- Steel cord reinforced plastics combine excellent

energy-absorption and structural-integrity

characteristics with low manufacturing complexity

and cost. The automotive application opportunities of

these crash resistant, weight reduced components

include bumper beams and body-in-white parts.

- We expanded our portfolio of Dramixbers for

concrete reinforcement with new steel bers. The

existing product portfolio was re-branded as the 3D

series. The addition of the new steel bers in the 4D

and 5D series takes concrete reinforcement to the

next performance class: previously unknown levels of

anchorage, tensile strength and ductility guarantee

the best possible solution for an ever wider range of

applications.

- Bekaert heating cord, made from extremely thin and

strong plastic-coated wire, is an alternative approach

to reducing emissions from truck diesel engines.

- Cushion Ultra ropes were developed to serve themining industrys dragline equipment. This new,

plastic-enhanced rope ensures a long service life and

reduced equipment maintenance.

- Ecobindis a colored eco-friendly coating for

bookbinding wire. This plant-based coating features

the same properties as petroleum-based coatings

but is 100% compostable in an industrial composting

environment and CO2neutral.

From emerging idea to the automatedproduction line

Innovation is a key process at Bekaert. It is a vital part of

our endeavor to ensure that our product portfolio meets

the changing needs of our customers and is ready to

respond to shifts in societal and market trends.

Finding the right idea and then cultivating it into a

product tailored to our customers needs requires a

specic approach.

Our innovation methodology comprises several steps to

ensure that customers benet from a dedicated and

efcient process. Once an idea gets to the prototype

stage, both our extensive lab facilities and our pilot lines

support the further renement of the new product.

Speeding up our time to market

Development can also be done via modeling. Using

computer simulation, our developments are designed

and undergo extensive virtual testing. Only when a

development is tried and tested via simulation, a real life

model is produced on pilot lines at the technology

centers, in line with customer requirements. This results

in a faster development process, a signicant decrease

in cost and improved customer focus.

Innovation matters, more than ever.


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2012: PartnershipsBekaert and Southern Steel (Malaysia) establish a joint

venture to combine their steel wire and ropes activities

in South-East Asia. Bekaert and Xinsteel break groundfor a new production plant in Xinyu, Jiangxi Province,

China.

2011: Continued consolidationBekaert and its Chilean partners restructure their

shareholding, making Bekaert the principal

shareholder. Bekaert acquires the Qingdao Hansun

steel wire plant from Hankuk Steel Wire Co. Ltd.

(South Korea).

2010: Strategic growthBekaert opens its newly built steel cord plant

in Lipetsk, Russia and completes the acquisition

of two Bridgestone tire cord plants.

2008: Inland ChinaBekaert concludes a strategic partnership with Ansteel,

a leader in the Chinese steel industry. They invest in a

joint-venture plant in Chongqing in inland China.

2003: Central EuropeBekaert expands its manufacturing capacity in Central

Europe by acquiring two steel wire plants in Slovakia.

1997: BrazilIn 1997, Bekaert acquires a 45% share in Belgo-

Mineira Bekaert Trelarias S.A. in Brazil, signicantly

strengthening our presence in Latin America.

1996: India and IndonesiaIn 1996, Bekaert announces plans to build two plants

in Pune (India) and Karawang (Indonesia), establishing

bases in these growth markets.

1993: ChinaIn 1993, Bekaert takes a signicant step in China:

having served customers there for many years,

Bekaert decides to set up a production platform in

conjunction with a Chinese partner.

1988: United States

In 1988, Bekaert builds new manufacturing plants inShelbyville (Kentucky) and Rogers (Arkansas), United

States.

1972: Stock ExchangeIn 1972, Bekaert goes public and the Bekaert family

opens up the company to new shareholders.

In just a little over two minutes, all available

Bekaert shares are sold.

1950: Latin AmericaIn 1950, Bekaert sets up its rst plant in Chile with

local partners.

1880:Leo Leander BekaertLeo Leander Bekaert starts a business in Belgium

making barbed wire. Later that year, he develops

his own star-shaped crowns that can be woven

in with the wire. He patents his invention.

Expanding our horizons since 1880

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Your business, our business

Did you know?

- The length of our daily production of tire cord worldwide, is the distance from the earthto the moon and back.

- Every year, 5 million m concrete is being reinforced with Dramixsteel bers

invented by Bekaert.

- We transform a 4 meter piece of wire rod to a ber that spans all around the world.

- SiroLockcarding wire can catch up to 50% more bers compared to traditional wires,

which leads to improved carding performance and an increased card productivity.

- Worldwide 1 out of 2 PU timing belts are reinforced with Bekaert ne steel cords.

- The strongest conveyor belt in the world is reinforced with Bekaert steel cord and has

an actual breaking strength of 7800 N/mm.

- Bekaert's customers annually use 3.5 million kilometer of bookbinding wire.

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AutomotiveDriving tomorrows growth

Energy & utilitiesExploring new limits

EquipmentPushing performance

Basic materialsSupporting your industry

ConstructionBuilding new opportunities

Consumer goodsEnhancing comfort and convenience

AgricultureCultivating excellence


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The automotive sector

A passenger car can contain up to 30 kg of Bekaert wire products.

E

ricDemurieVolvo


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The automotive sector is the largest user of Bekaert

products, accounting for 34% of our sales.

We set ourselves apart from the competition with

consistent high quality products and innovations

tailored to our customers needs. We supply steel

cord and wire for reinforcing radial tires to nearly alltire manufacturers in the world: one in four tires

worldwide is reinforced with Bekaert steel cord.

We also supply specialized wire products that meet

the highest quality standards. These include spring

wires, ne cable wires, wires for airbags, wires

and cables for window elevator systems, wires for

windshield wiper arms and blades, and welding

wires.

In this sector, we are constantly striving to make

products of higher quality and doing so without

inating costs. Bumper reinforcement based on

steel cord and glass ber is an example of thiscommitment. It is an innovative Bekaert application

that combines the strength of steel with a lower

weight, outperforming the existing solutions at a

competitive price. Moreover, it allows for a higher

level of functional integration and offers greater

design possibilities.

Environmental protection and sustainability are

driving forces of innovation in the automotive sector.

Bekaert sees growth opportunities in products

which ensure that solutions last longer or that cars

consume less. We also produce metal bers for

ltering particulates from diesel exhausts and

heating cord for selective catalytic reduction

systems used to cut emissions.

Helping tire manufacturers in meetingnew regulatory requirements

According to the European new tire

regulatory framework for 2012-2020, tires for

cars, vans and trucks produced for this

market after July 2012 have to be classied

and labeled for wet grip, rolling resistance

and noise performance. The objectives of

this new tire labeling system are twofold:

make products performance more

transparent and reduce the CO2bill through

lower rolling resistance.

This new regulation poses technological

challenges and opportunities for tire makers.

Bekaert helps its customers meet these

challenges by oering a dedicated solution

that contributes to weight and rolling

resistance reduction.

Tire cord

Power spring wire(seat recliner)

Bead wire

Clutch spring wire Wire for pierce nutsin chassis

Steering column proles

Hybrid reinforcementfabric for bumper beams

Suspension spring wire

Diesel particulate ltermedia

Wire for wheel weights

Wiper component wire Heating cord


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The construction sector

Customers in the construction sector choose Bekaert for a wide range of products. In concrete reinforcement, we supply both heavy weldedmesh, as well as Dramixsteel bers, oering customers a complete product portfolio tailored to their needs.


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Fencing

Wire and gabionsfor rock protection

Dramixsteel bers forconcrete reinforcement

Bekaert Mesh Track Wire for guiderails

Bekaert Murfor and

Murfor+Wire for window mesh

Bekaert BekinoxColorfor architectural applications

Hoisting cables forelevators

Environmentally friendlygas burners & heat exchangers

Welded mesh Rope wire, ropes & PC

strand for bridges

Civil, residential and industrial construction sectors

put their faith in Bekaert. Our wire, mesh, and ber

products nd applications in construction: in lifts and

burners, fencing and reinforcement, tunnels, roads

and bridges; in architectural solutions and concrete

reinforcement. We are driven by our quest for more

environmentally friendly solutions with a focus on

better materials, greater safety, and lower energy

consumption. We strive for sustainable, cost-efcient

applications with a minimum impact on the

environment. For example, Bekaert supports the

need for greater efciency in energy consumption

with energy-efcient burners.

We offer customers in the construction sector nails

and nail wire, pre-stressed concrete strands and wire,

and plaster laths and corner protectors, as well as

solutions for erosion protection. Our strong presence

in local markets has triggered a number of new

product developments for specic applications,

including mining. A large share of our sales in Latin

American construction projects is generated by

products that are specically tuned to local demand.

In mature markets, we are seeing a different pattern

of demand and one that is characterized by higher

quality requirements with, for instance, a trend toward

materials with a high resistance to corrosion or ones

which allow for faster, simpler project completion,such as Dramixsteel bers. In addition, we support

our customers with a wide range of services, from

consulting to the supply of ber dosing equipment.

A spectacular example of civil engineering,

the 3 595 meter long Rio Negro bridge in

Amaznia, Brazil, the second largest river

bridge in the world, is tensioned by stay cable

and prestressed strands from Bekaerts joint

venture plants.


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The energy & utilities sector

Oil and gas remain the biggest resources for energy. The circumstances for oil recovery are increasingly challenging and demandever-improved methods and materials. We are perfectly suited to supply energy companies and their contractors with high-qualit ysolutions like wires and cables for oshore oil exploration, and at and proled wires to reinforce oshore pipes.


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Armoring wire for RemoteOperated Vehicle (ROV)

Bekaert Armoforstripsfor injection pipes

Shaped wires forexible pipes

Proled wires

Wires for cores foroverhead power lines

Sawing wire to cutpolysilicon

Strands and ropes formooring lines

Wedge wires for oil andwater ltration

Armoring wire forsubsea cables

Wire for armoringcables

Armoring wire forsubsea telecom cables

Armoring wire forumbilicals

In the oil & gas industry all over the world, Bekaert

products play a key role. Whether it concerns

onshore or offshore oil extraction, gas mining or

power transmission, Bekaert products contribute to

sustainable, safer and more cost-effective

operations.

In addition to its contributions to the production and

distribution of energy, Bekaert is also active in

facilities for telecommunications. Our solutions

include cable reinforcement, wires and cables for oil

and gas drilling and sawing wire to cut solar wafers.

In 2012 we invested in state-of-the art equipment

and further product innovation in high precision

wedge wires. These triangular shaped steel wires

are used to produce wedge screens and lters.

Thanks to their high precision tolerance and

mechanical stability, these complex wires can be

integrated in ne ltration processes for oil & gas as

well as for drinking water.

The higher demand on the part of both consumers

and industry for energy, along with the gradual

depletion of energy reserves, open the door to the

use of advanced technologies for the extraction

of energy sources under increasingly difcult

circumstances. Our customers rely on Bekaerts

extensive knowledge of mechanical strengths,

coatings, specic wire forms, and applications to

assist in this domain. Bekaert Armoforcomposite

strips for example, make a signicant contribution to

maintain the output of existing oil sources at the

current level. High pressure exible thermoplastic

pipes form a cost effective, long lasting solution

when compared to steel pipes in water injection.

Bekaert's products give

our customers access to

innovative technologies

and solutions that allow

them to extract, convey,

produce and distribute

energy and other resources

in an efcient and safe way.


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Consumer goods

Bookbinding wireBedding and seatingspring wire

Medical and dentalwire

Colored champagnecork wire

Hook and eye wirefor clothing

By combining high strength with specic characteristics, Bekaert wire oers excellent results in situations as varied as wirefor cable ways such as ski lifts and spoke wire.

The wide range of applications for Bekaert wire attest

to our success in satisfying diverse customer

requirements. End users discover our wires in a variety

of coatings, colors and applications including

champagne cork muselets, paper clips, shhooks,

staples and spokes, as well as industrial applications like

ski lift cables, inkjet cartridges, heat resistant textiles, and

much more. Besides heatable clothing yarns and

upholstery spring wires, our products are needed for

springs in electronics and toys. In hospitals wire is used,

for example, in monitoring devices, catheters and

diabetes sampling strips. The consumption of these

applications thrives on the increased concern for

wellness and health.

Global consumerism is the present trend. As higher

quality and comfort standards and functionalities are

required, the demand for more advanced coated steel

wire products evolves accordingly.

To sum it up: often unseen, but always there: Bekaert is

a part of the products we all use every day. That is why

we listen to our end consumers. What they want is

essential, for our customers business and for ours.


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Brush wireCarding solutions forthe textile industry

Syncrocordsteel cords rein-forcing synchronous belts

High strength wire and ropes used for straddle carriers and hoisting cranes.

The equipment sector

Hose reinforcementwire

For heavy equipment makers and operators, we supply

a range of specialized wire product components.

These include: ne cord, spring wire and proled wire,

high-pressure hose armoring wire, hydraulic lter media,

and steel wire and ropes for cranes. Bekaert offers

customers in the textile industry wires for carding. We

also produce high-grade steel wire for the heddles and

springs of Jacquard looms.

Bekaert produces an extensive range of high carbon

rope wire and ropes for hoisting applications, providing

an excellent ductility on wire level leading to optimal

fatigue properties on rope level.

Our solutions are used both in the machines themselves

and in their assembly.

As Bekaert builds its own proprietary machinery,

we know exactly what it means to make

high-performance equipment allowing a manufacturing

company to produce goods with a focus on operational

excellence.

Wire for retainer rings


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Wire for oysterbreeding cages

Bekaert Horseman

horse fenceVineyard wire Bekaert Solidlock

xed knotAuger wire for animalfeed systems

The agricultural sector

At Bekaert, we have been providing the highest quali ty fencing products to the agricultural industry for over 130 years.We listen to our customers and develop innovative fencing solutions so you can build a better fence.

Across the agricultural sector, Bekaert provides

innovative solutions that facilitate the growing of crops,

the raising of cattle, and the farming of sh and oysters,

and that make day-to-day work easier. We offer a broad

range of wires in terms of diameters and grades for

industrial shing. Our wires offer excellent corrosion

resistance thanks to Bezinaland other advanced

coatings. We offer traditional wire products, such as

barbed wire, as well as fences with specic tensile

strength and corrosion resistance requirements, like

Solidlockxed knot fences.

Through our global footprint and our mix of trading and

manufacture, we can offer total packages to our

customers. Vineyards and other fruit and vegetable

growers around the world rely on our wire for training

their vines. We provide more than just wire: we want to

answer all of the sectors requirements: wires, posts,

fencing, tools, shading, joining and tensioning devices.

This has turned the one-stop-shop service approach to

our customers into reality.


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25To keep belt rips to a minimum Bekaert has been working with several conveyor belt manufacturers to develop andintegrate a self-protecting conveyor belt: a belt which is reinforced from its inside core, using steel cord.

The basic materials sector

Non-contact dryingsystems

Fleximat

for conveyor beltsPulp baling wireFiltration media

and applicationsWire and ropesfor mining

Many Bekaert products are used in exploring and

producing raw materials, from coal and metals to

pulp and paper, to chemicals and textiles. Paper is an

outstanding example of an industry in which Bekaert

products play a crucial role. From the pre-treatment

of wood pulp to the printing, bundling and recycling of

paper: Bekaerts presence spans the entire value chain

of the paper industry. We make cable and wefts for

conveyor belts that are used across many industries.

Our stainless steel bers and media are used in ltration

elements and systems for the manufacturing of synthetic

bers. Bekaert supplies all manner of wire-based

products to mines the world over and to almost every

step in the value chain. Mining is the starting-point for

any natural resource-related process where value is

created.


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Sustainability is in our DNA

Beliefs and mission

Bekaert believes that, as a company, we derive our strength from the lasting

relationships we forge with our customers, suppliers, and other business partners,

and our clear focus on creating win-win solutions. Our people make the dierence.

We believe that the resilience, trust, and integrity they demonstrate in their daily work

generates the power we need to fulll our mission.

Our mission is:

- To safeguard the future of the company through sustainable protable growth while

consistently generating adequate returns.

- To be recognized as a world leader in our selected business segments, oering our

customers as their preferred supplier innovative and high-quality products and

services.

- To maintain our position as an employer of choice for the best talent by providingprofessional growth opportunities and competitive rewards, thereby reecting the

value we place on global diversity.

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The world around us, our shared concern

Sustainability

Based on the companys beliefs and mission, we dened sustainability as follows:

We acknowledge that our pursuit for sustainable protable growth must take into consideration the

broader economic, ambient and social impact of our activities.

That is why we integrate the interests of customers, sta, shareholders, communities and other

stakeholders into all aspects of our activities.Bekaert strives for operational excellence in a manner that is friendly to the surroundings, safe, healthy

and socially responsible. Bekaert invests in clean and energy-ecient infrastructure, production

processes and products. Bekaert always complies with local standards and regulations.

Bekaerts global Corporate Social Responsibility

strategy is centered on four main pillars, namely our

responsibility in the workplace, in the marketplace,towards the environment and towards society.

Our responsibility in the workplaceBecause our people are our most important asset,

safety comes rst, always. Providing a safe working

environment for all employees is key to us. In 2012 we

introduced an assessment system that aims for

improved safety attitude and awareness. We continued

safety audits in a substantial number of plants. In other

plants, we implemented action plans based on the 2011

audits.

Our responsibility in the community and inour marketsBekaert strives to be a loyal, responsible partner within

the communities where we operate. We make a point of

interacting with local governments in a transparent,

constructive way and we are rmly committed to

complying with national legislation and collective labor

agreements. Bekaert adheres to the Universal Declara-

tion of Human Rights and the treaties and recommen-

dations of the International Labor Organization. At

Bekaert, we deal openly and honestly with our business

partners. We comply with generally accepted business

standards, laws and regulations, and we conduct our

operations in accordance with the principles of fair

competition.

Our responsibility towards the environmentbetter togetherfor a cleaner world is one of Bekaerts

ambitions: we continuously strive to use fewer materials,

bring down our energy consumption and reduce waste.

Bekaerts concern for the environment is three-fold: on

the one hand we develop new, eco-friendlier production

processes for our plants worldwide. Secondly, Bekaert

invests in product innovations that allow for process

improvements at the production sites of our customers.

Special wire coatings can, for example, eliminate certain

process steps for our customers and hence improve the

environmental impact as well as the production cost for

them. And thirdly, Bekaert also develops products that

contribute to a cleaner environment. To name a few, wemanufacture super and ultra-tensile steel cord that

answers the need for light-weight materials in cars,

stainless steel wedge wires used for oil and water

ltration, cable armoring solutions for green power

transmission, and substitutes for solvent-based

coatings.

Our responsability towards societyEducation projects form the backbone of funding and

other community-building activities. Additionally we

support local activities and projects for social, cultural

and economic developments. We believe that education

and learning form the key to a sustainable future. With aglobal reach, we support community initiatives that

work to improve societal conditions where we are

active.

Bekaerts CSR report 2012 is based on the GRI

G3 Guidelines regarding the GRI Sustainability

Reporting Framework. Global Reporting

Initiative (GRI) is a non-prot organization that

promotes economic sustainability. Other CSR

related certicates and references valid for the

reporting year 2012 regard Vigeo, Ethibel

Excellence & Pioneer Index and Kempen SRI.


27/31

28

06:45 07:30

the ATM positions your bank card

perfectly thanks to a timing beltreinforced with Bekaert ne cord,

and its housing contains Bekaert

conductive plastics to avoid

electro-magnetic interference.

the woolen carpet of the

airplane you y on resists staticdischarge of electricity with

Bekaert Bekinoxspun yarns.

Bekaert Murforand Murfor+

reinforce your masonry with acrack-free solution.

The timing belt in the garage door

is reinforced with Bekaert ne

steel cord.

Bekaert's strong, ductile wires

and ropes are used for hoisting

applications, such as the cranes

you see every morning.

one out of four tires is reinforced

with Bekaert steel cord.

Your car can contain up to 30 kg

of Bekaert wire products.

06:30your toaster contains Bekaert

Bekanickelwire, for a safe and

healthy breakfast.

12:30 13:15 15:30

Part of your life


28/31

29

the spokes of your bike are

made of Bekaert wire.

the polymer wrap around your

bouquet of owers ismanufactured with a lter based

on Bekaert porous metal media.

the wire holding the cork of your

sparkling wines is made byBekaert. Cheers!

08:00 08:30 09:00the road you take every day is

reinforced with Bekaert Dramix

and Bekaert Mesh Track.

the elevator in your ofce may

be equipped with (at belts

reinforced with) Bekaert cables.

your ofce has awless

electricity supply thanks to

Bekaert armoring wire.

The stationery materia ls you

are using contain Bekaert

bookbinding wire and staples.

16:45 17:30 18:45


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30

better togetherstories

30


30/31

The combination of Bekaert

steel cord and our Glass Matt

Reinforced Thermoplastic

was essential for Polynorm in

order to introduce a solution

compliant with the latest

automotive safety and impact

tests.

Kees van Koert, Director Product

Development at voestalpine Polynorm

Plastics Solutions

Ducab considers Bekaert

an important partner in

supply chain management.

Prestigious projects such as

the Dubai Metro and Burj

Dubai can only be supported

by world players like Bekaert.

Ducab and Bekaert believe in

Total Quality Excellence; our

partnership perfectly

illustrates the baseline, better

together.

Mohamed Yousif Al Ahmedi,

Designation - Purchase Manager -

Supply chain Ducab

The Bekaert team was

highly committed, diligent

and knowledgeable and

they have deployed all the

available resources, including

world-class laboratory

facilities, for the successful

completion of our technology

partnership which will, no

doubt, be highly benefcial to

both parties.

PK Mohamed, Chief Adviser,

Research & Technology, Apollo Tyres


31/31

Imagine what we can

achieve together ...

Would you like to learn more about the solutions we oer?

Are you interested in any of our products or services?Please dont hesitate to get in touch. We would be delighted

to talk about how we can work together.

www.bekaert.com

NV Bekaert SA

President Kennedypark 18

8500 Kortrijk, Belgium

T +32 56 23 05 11

F +32 56 23 05 43

Bekaert Corporation

3200 West-Market Street, Suite 303Akron, Ohio 44333-3326 USA

T +1 330 867 3325

F +1 330 873 3424

Bekaert Corporation

1395 South Marietta Parkway

Building 500, Suite 100

Marietta, Georgia 30067-4440, USA

T +1 770 421 8520

F +1 770 421 8521

Bekaert Management

(Shanghai) Co., Ltd17 F, Block E, Waterfront Place

No. 31, Lane 168, Daduhe Road

200062 Shanghai, China

T +86 21 2219 7000

F +86 21 2219 7399

onsiblee

ditor:KatelijnBohez

Documents

Bekaert Corporate Brochure Final 2013