History

140 years of experience

The history of Agfa goes back to the nineteenth century and is a long and illustrous record of innovation and technological leadership. A Belgian 'photo products' business and a German colour dye manufacturer joined forces and grew into an internationally renowned company in the graphic and healthcare industries.

Learn more about our company's history.

1867 - 1904: The Early Years

Both Agfa and Gevaert were established in the nineteenth century. Business boomed and soon the original premises became too small.

1905 - 1959: The Years of Expansion

Agfa continued to improve color photography, while Gevaert launched an innovative assortment of X-ray films on the market.

1960 - 1981: The Golden 60s and 70s

1964 was not only the year of the 125th anniversary of photography, but also the year of the historic merger between Agfa and Gevaert.

1982 - 1998: From Analog to Digital

In the 1980s and 90s, Agfa acquired a number of companies, reinforcing its leading position and acting as one of the driving forces between digitalization in the graphic and healthcare industries.

1999 - Now

In 1999, Agfa's shares were introduced on the stock market. Since then, there have been a number of strategic acquisitions and divestitures, including the sale in 2004 of all photographic activities. Agfa is now a 100% business-to-business company, fully focussed on its three business groups: Graphics, HealthCare, and Materials.