Belgian company Agfa Gevaert has signed a four year distribution deal in China for its hospital imaging solutions worth up to €350m.
The deal covers computed radiography systems, printers for medical images and the associated medical and hardcopy film. The solutions will capture and manage over 500 million X-ray images, processed with Agfa HealthCare’s Musica2 Image Processing software.
The company’s Chinese partners will be responsible for the sale, distribution, and installation and servicing of Agfa Healthcare’s systems in China.
Jo Cornu, chief executive office of the Agfa-Gevaert group said: “The Chinese government will invest over $124 billion in healthcare over the coming three years and will build 5,000 new hospitals, primarily in rural regions.
“Agfa HealthCare will play an instant and important role in this project, firstly through its innovative medical imaging solutions, from its film solutions to its leading digital radiography systems and later on through the introduction of medical image management IT-solutions and its overarching hospital and clinical information systems (HIS/CIS).”
Agfa Healthcare has seen a significant decline in recent sales. Figures released in November showed that the company’s sales for Q3 of 2009 had continued to drop by 5.5% compared to 2008 figures.
During Q3 of 2009 AGFA Gavaert said that its healthcare division made net sales of €275m, down from 2008 sales when Q3 sales were €291m.
The agreement with the Chinese partners is expected to safeguard jobs at the company in the area of Flanders in Belgium.
Cornu added: “Without any doubt, this contract will have a positive impact on the preservation of the employment in Flanders.”
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