Food quality, energy costs, product adaptation, sustainable development, … major challenges for business performance

The Belgian agri-food sector is currently confronted with many challenges and must now consider other paradigms. The pressure on the margins, the increasing necessity of food safety, pressure on the environment, the containment of production costs and the adaptability of micro production chains are only some of the challenges affecting the business performance of the food sector.

A holistic approach

Ayming’s experts limit the impact of these challenges to the economic performance of the industry. Financing innovation, optimization of labour costs and limitation of taxation of industrial tools, machinery and equipment are the core of Ayming’s holistic approach in Belgium and in 15 other countries.

A naturally innovating industry

With the drive for the improvement of food quality, reduced food losses and flexibilization of the production instrument there is no lack of R&D projects in this sector. An average of 20 patents/year for foodstuffs have been applied for in Belgium for more than 10 years. The sector is also rethinking its production methods and makes use of automation, artificial intelligence and virtual reality (Industry 4.0). It is also interested in reducing the energy bill which, in Belgium, is twice as high as in the United States. Our innovation financing experts can identify, optimize and secure over the long-term countless activities eligible for subsidies, tax incentives or tax concessions.

Consult our offer of support for financing innovation

• Partial exemption from payment of the withholding tax on wages for researchers
• Increased tax deduction for investments
• Tax deduction for innovation revenue
• Innovation performance management
• Subsidies and grants for innovation

And what is your R&D strength?

Dealing with the Belgian wage handicap

The Belgian food industry has a wage handicap of 17.5% compared with the weighted average of the hourly-rate labour costs in the three neighbour countries. As a major employer the sector can operate levers to optimize the labour costs. Our experts identify these levers (exemption from withholding tax on wages, for night work or teamwork, which is common practice in the sector) and secure their execution.

Consult our offer of support for Payroll performance

• Payroll performance
• Subsidies and grants for training

Capex and industrial taxes, optimizable amounts

In order to take on the competition, investments in heat recovery and biomethanization or in technologies for the limitation of your energy consumption and for modernization of production methods are extremely important. How can they be financed? There are tax deduction possibilities for investments, but there are also regional and European subsidies. Ayming’s experts identify the resources that can be deployed and secure the taxation of your industrial machinery and equipment.

Consult our offer of support in Industrial taxation

• Optimization of the property tax on machinery and equipment
• Optimization of the local-authority taxes (more specifically, on driving/lifting power and engines)
• Subsidies and grants for investments

Some references:

Spadel, Continental Foods, Belorta, Pauwels, Konings, SanoRice, Coca-Cola European Partners, Desobry.

Download our agrofood brochure and read our case study:

Agrofood brochure in French                    Agrofood brochure in Dutch

Download the presentation of our webinar with Wagralim