Imaging company growing, changing along with China

Crossing over industries

Having started in the print paper and color dye industry 150 years ago, the Agfa of today has already branched out into the industries of offset solutions, digital print and chemicals, radiology and healthcare IT.

"We remain very close to the market. We give our organizations the flexibility to operate, the possibility for our teams to shape their own destiny," Ranganathan said. "We had our own R&D, but we also acquired capabilities from outside."

Many mergers and acquisitions were made around 2000, when the company went public in the stock markets of Brussels and Frankfurt.

The acquisition of Hoechst's printing plate and proofing business in 1996 and DuPont's Graphic Arts division in 1997 made Agfa No 1 in the global graphic prepress industry. The acquisition of Sterling Diagnostic Imaging in 1999 allowed Agfa to gain a leading market position in conventional medical imaging in the United States.

More recently, Agfa acquired TIP Group, an Austrian specialist in hospital business intelligence, in 2016 to boost its healthcare IT solutions. In China, Agfa entered into a strategically important alliance with the Chinese company Lucky HuaGuang Graphics Co in 2018 to strengthen its position in offset.

"A lot of changes have happened over the years as the company transformed. What has remained constant is across our imaging portfolio, there is a common theme: we are a company solid on image quality," Ranganathan said. "Whether it is in offset printing and publishing, in digital printing and inkjet machines, or in our X-ray film and digital radiography products, the common ground is our uncompromising image quality, our intuitive workflow and our superb engineering. Our products are very easy to use. Through one or two clicks, one can easily do his or her work. This is especially relevant in China, when you think of the hospital radiology technician who has to manage heavy patient loads in a short timeframe."

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit all industries, it also prompted changes. For Agfa's healthcare business, there is more demand for remote support and diagnostics in the after-sales area. Health systems need to optimize their assets to be more flexible, and this has led the company to introduce more digital and mobile solutions.

During the past year, Ranganathan himself did a lot of video calls because of the travel restrictions posed by the pandemic. "But a video call will never be as efficient as really going to the person," he said. "I am very much looking forward to the CIIE, when we will meet customers from all over China and hold signing ceremonies for cooperation."

Ending on a philosophical note, Ranganathan said: "People might look different, speak different languages, but I feel there is actually little difference in what we hope for. We want our children and our families to do well. We want good air to breathe, good food to eat. So the more we can learn from each other and integrate, the more we will prosper."