Belgium: infrastructure
Nuclear power typically supplies 50-60% of domestic electricity, and in 2023 the lives of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 were extended to 2035, so long-running plant maintenance continues alongside the gas network.
Belgium · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Belgium
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the chemical belt along the Scheldt, the terminals at Zeebrugge and the platforms in Hainaut. Industry is concentrated in Flanders in the north, around Brussels, and along the Sillon industriel through Liège and Charleroi, so hazardous-area work is split between a coastal north and an older steel and chemicals south. Distribution partners for Belgium are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereBelgium
Short answer. Belgium has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof mobile phone for Belgium
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | Belgium: Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, Feluy | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Belgium
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Belgium. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Belgium
Where this applies in Belgium
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Belgium market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- BASF Antwerpen
- Second largest BASF site in the world, on the right bank.
- TotalEnergies
- Antwerp refining and petrochemical platform, its largest integrated site in Europe.
- ExxonMobil
- Antwerp refinery, coker and lubricants production on the Scheldt.
- INEOS
- Project ONE ethane cracker under construction on the left bank.
- Covestro
- Polyurethane and polycarbonate production inside the Antwerp cluster.
- Borealis
- Polyolefin production at Kallo and Beringen.
Industrial areas and sites
- Antwerp right bank
- The Scheldelaan chemical belt, from BASF to the refineries.
- Antwerp left bank
- Kallo and Doel, with crackers, polymers and Project ONE.
- Zeebrugge
- LNG import terminal, jetties and the gas interconnection point.
- Ghent canal zone
- North Sea Port industry along the canal to Terneuzen.
- Feluy
- Hainaut petrochemical platform and polymer production.
- Jemeppe-sur-Sambre
- Chemical site in the Sambre valley near Namur.
Field notes · Belgium
More about Belgium that matters for portable equipment
Belgium: logistics and access
Belgium imports raw materials and semi-finished goods and re-exports them after processing, with the Port of Antwerp the most notable of its ports, canals, railways and highways.
Belgium: infrastructure
After Groningen gas supply fell, Belgium converted affected customers from low-calorific L-gas to high-calorific H-gas, a programme that began in 2018 and was completed by the end of summer 2024.
Belgium: rules and approvals
Under ATEX, equipment in use before July 2003 can remain in use indefinitely provided a risk assessment shows it is safe, which matters when mixing older and newer devices at long-established plants.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In Belgium. A marking check on the Scheldelaan or the left bank would focus on Group IIC, because IIC includes hydrogen and steam crackers, industrial gas networks and new capacity make it the sensible assumption. The target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, with Zone 21 dust under the same programme and a stated ambient range.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Belgium
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Belgium. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Belgium.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Belgium
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof mobile phone in Belgium today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an Ex-proof mobile phone in Belgium cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which sites in Belgium does this cover?
The market guide for Belgium covers Antwerp right bank, Antwerp left bank, Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Belgium?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Belgium.
Can I use older Ex equipment alongside new devices in Belgium?
ATEX allows equipment in use before July 2003 to remain in service if a risk assessment shows it is safe. New purchases need to meet the current Directive. Keep the operator's risk assessment on file and ask whether it has additional internal rules for handheld devices.
Where in Belgium is chemical hazardous-area work concentrated?
The Antwerp port area and Flanders are the best-known concentration, with further industry along the Sillon industriel through Liège and Charleroi. Details of individual plants and zones are held by each operator, so request their layout drawings when planning.
Which language must the instructions be in?
Belgian rules expect information that reaches a worker to be in the language of the region where the work happens: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, and both in Brussels. The manual, safe-use instructions and declaration of conformity are planned in Dutch and French. Certification is still in progress. Check the wording with your site safety adviser.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Belgium and for Belgium.
Industrial Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in BelgiumSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Belgium market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for BelgiumEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Belgium
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Belgium
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · Belgium
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Belgium?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.