The Belgian BEKAERT (turnover of EUR 2.5 billion in 1999) and the German company FNE - FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FÜR NICHTEISENMETALLE FREIBERG GMBH will create a joint venture named FREBEK GMBH. It will be 75% held by BEKAERT, which will furthermore take a stake of 7.5% in its German partner, and 25% by FNE. It will be integrated into BAM - BEKAERT ADVANCED MATERIALS, divisions of BEKAERT active in the high technology coatings and will employ 35 people. Its turnover should reach around EUR 7 million.