Walloon firms back Red Devils at World Cup

Three Walloon companies were among the 11 chosen by the Belgian authorities to back up the national football team at the World Cup in Russia this summer. EVS is a video production company based in Seraing near Liège, which specialises in providing slow-motion replays for TV viewers at home and spectators in stadiums. The company provided all the equipment and operation for replays, content management and archival of video material. 

WNM, also from Seraing, provided wireless video and audio intercom linking the 12 stadiums where the tournament was played, as well as 12 sound engineers to manage the system on behalf of TV production companies. Another six sound engineers were tasked with distributing audio to TV stations across the world. And Wollux from Mouscron provided communications textiles: flags, stickers, banners and floor coverings for companies providing services at the World Cup, as well as for the Royal Belgian Football Association. “This is a fine international shop window for our businesses,” said Marc Lambotte, CEO of technology industry federation Agoria. “Orders for Belgian companies amount to around €15-€20 million.” 

Meanwhile, Charleroi company DreamWall has created a 3D virtual football stadium used by the French TV station TF1 to show matches. It features a full stadium of virtual players and even what the company calls teleportation – players can be moved around at will. DreamWall is a partnership between public broadcaster RTBF and media company Dupuis.