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Agfa-Gevaert N.V. (Agfa) (, ) develops, manufactures and distributes analogue and digital products and systems for the making, processing, and reproduction of images. It is an imaging technologies company with three main divisions: Health Care, Graphic Systems and Specialty Products.
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Overview
Headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium, Agfa has sales organizations in 40 countries, representation in 120 countries, and 14,000 employees (full time equivalent permanent) worldwide. Agfa has manufacturing plants in 10 countries, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, China, and the United States. Net sales for 2004 totaled 3.8 billion euros.
In the past, Agfa film and cameras were prominent consumer products. However, in 2004, the consumer imaging division was sold to a company founded via management buyout. AgfaPhoto GmbH, as the new company was called, filed for bankruptcy after just one year, although some legally separate child companies continued operating *.
Following this sale, Agfa-Gevaert's business today is 100% business-to-business.
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Company Structure
Agfa is organized into three business groups as follows.
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Graphic Systems
Digital and analogue prepress systems, software and consumables.
Computer-to-film and computer-to-plate systems.
Digital proofing systems.
Industrial inkjet printing systems.
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Health Care
Medical Imaging and Information Management systems.
Information systems for radiology and cardiology.
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Specialty Products
Consumables (motion picture film, microfilm, film for non-destructive testing) for specific markets.
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History
1894 The company L. Gevaert & Cie was founded in Antwerp, Belgium, arising from the workshop for the manufacture of photographic paper belonging to Lieven Gevaert.
1897 Appearance of the Agfa trade mark.
1898 Introduction of X-ray plates and film products.
1912 Bayer builds a factory in Leverkusen, in which film chemicals and later also photographic papers are manufactured.
1922 Introduction of double sided medical film products.
1925 As part of the consolidation of the German chemical industry, the photographic activities are combined with those of Bayer, including a camera factory in Munich.
1932 Introduction of low dose X-ray film products.
1941 American assets were seized as enemy property and became Ansco.
1942 Introduction of intensifying screen products.
During the Second World War Agfa became part of IG Farben, a conglomerate of all German chemical industries. When the Allies broke up IG Farben after it was found guilty of war crimes, Agfa reappeared as an individual business. An Agfa plant located in what was to become East Germany became the foundation of ORWO.
1952 Re-establishment of Agfa AG as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer in Leverkusen.
1964 Merger of Agfa AG and Gevaert Photo-Producten N.V. with Bayer AG and Gevaert each holding a 50% interest in the new operating company.
1972 Introduction of mammography film / screen products.
1981 Bayer buys out Gevaert and becomes 100% owner.
Introduction of Computed Radiography (CR) products.
1994 Introduction of PACS products.
1996 Acquisition of Hoechst's printing plate and proofing business.
Acquisition of Dupont's offset printing and graphic arts film business.
Sale of the company's Copier Systems business to Lanier Worldwide Inc.
Acquisition of Sterling Diagnostic Imaging.
Separation of Agfa from Bayer. Initial public offering of Agfa-Gevaert shares on June 1. Agfa listed on Brussels and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
Acquisition of Krautkramer, a producer of ultrasonic systems for non-destructive testing.
Acquisition of Quadrat, a European producer of radiology information systems.
Acquisition of Autologic, an American producer of systems for prepress automation.
Acquisition of the German company Seifert and the American company Pantak, producers of industrial X-ray equipment for non-destructive testing applications.
Opening of new printing plate factory in Wuxi, China.
Acquisition of Granite Systems, a producer of software drivers for printers, multifunction devices and digital presses.
Acquisition of Dotrix, a Belgian producer of digital color printing systems for industrial applications.
Acquisition of Lastra, an Italian manufacturer of plates, chemicals and equipment for the offset printing industry.
Sale of the consumer imaging division to a company founded via management buy out, named AgfaPhoto, and held by an investment company. Agfa grants permission for AgfaPhoto to use the Agfa name in perpetuity. After one year, AgfaPhoto files for bankruptcy.
Acquisition of ProImage, an Israeli developer of browser-based digital workflow solutions for the newspaper and printing industries.
Sale of Agfa Monotype Corporation, a provider of fonts and font-related software technology, to Boston based private equity investor TA Associates.
Acquisition of Heartlab, Inc., a U.S. developer of cardiology image and information management systems.
Acquisition of Med2Rad an Italian developer of radiology information systems.
Introduction of industrial inkjet products.
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See also
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