AgfaÂ’s sales an estimated EUR 4.2 billion in 2003

AgfaÂ’s sales an estimated EUR 4.2 billion in 2003.

Agfa-Gevaert (Agfa), headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium, is one of the world's leading imaging companies. Agfa develops and markets analogue and digital systems for the graphics, healthcare, micrographics, motion picture film and consumer photography markets.

(PRWEB) April 28, 2004

Research and Markets announces the addition of this new report entitled "Agfa Medical Device Company Intelligence Report" to its offerings.

Agfa-Gevaert (Agfa), headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium, is one of the world's leading imaging companies. Agfa develops and markets analogue and digital systems for the graphics, healthcare, micrographics, motion picture film and consumer photography markets. In fiscal 2003, AgfaÂ’s sales were EUR 4.2 billion, a drop of 10% from the prior year, although net profit increased by 66.5% to EUR 323 million.

This profile focuses on Agfa HealthCare which provides products and services designed to create a fully-integrated healthcare enterprise, including imaging systems, picture archiving communication systems (PACS), digital networks and radiology information systems (RIS).

Agfa HealthCare accounts for around 33% of AgfaÂ’s total group sales. In fiscal 2003, Agfa HealthCareÂ’s operations continued to grow, although HealthCare's revenue fell by 5.6% to EUR 1.4 billion as a result of exchange rate variances. Excluding currency effects, turnover increased by 3.8%. With only 43% of its turnover in Europe, HealthCare is AgfaÂ’s business unit which is most affected by the strength of the euro. Despite adverse currency effects, Agfa HealthCareÂ’s operating result increased to EUR 264 million, compared with EUR 223 million in 2002, while the return on sales reached 18.8%, compared with 15% in the previous year. Growth was driven by the conversion to digital imaging and the automation of the care process, as well as supply agreements with Premier and Novation which helped to boost US sales.

Steps were also were made to strengthen Agfa's position in the clinical specialities. Alliances were made with German company Hectec in the field of orthopaedics and Heartlab in cardiology. Agfa is integrating HectecÂ’s software for orthopaedic surgical planning in its Impax for orthopaedics. In cardiology, Agfa and Heartlab, a designer of cardiac image and information management software, are developing the next generation of AgfaÂ’s Impax systems for cardiology which will be launched in 2004. At the RSNA in November 2003, Agfa unveiled Impax ES, a radiology IT solution with integrated RIS and speech reporting capabilities and the works-in-progress Impax WEB 1000 ES, which extends the benefits of web-based results distribution from radiology to cardiology and womenÂ’s care (see Research and Development).

In 2003, Agfa extended its range of dry hardcopy printers with the Drystar 5500, a high-resolution printer which offers higher throughput. This was followed at the beginning of fiscal 2004 with the introduction of the Drystar 5300, a tabletop printer designed to provide a decentralised hardcopy solution. In computed radiography (CR), Agfa introduced the new ADC M40 reusable imaging plate, offering superior image quality and longevity, according to Agfa. In womenÂ’s care, Agfa introduced its new mammography systems, the Embrace CR and the fully-digital Embrace DR system. In addition, as a result of an agreement, R2 Technology's computer aided diagnosis system is now distributed as part of Agfa's digital mammography solution.

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