Mortsel, Belgium - 2003 February 21 - Agfa-Gevaert announced that it has reached an agreement with Printing Techniques Ltd (PTL) of Northampton, UK, by which PTL will be wholly acquired by Agfa-Gevaert Ltd. of Brentford, UK. Printing Technologies Ltd is based in Northampton, England. The company's turnover was approx. 26 million in 2002. PTL employs approx. 40 people. PTL has held the sole distribution rights for the UK market for an important part of Agfa's offset plate business since Agfa took over the Hoechst Graphics business in January 1996. By acquiring PTL, Agfa will be able to fully integrate distribution and sales of its printing plates to the UK market. "Merging PTL's business into our own will enable us to have the same complete offering of printing plates from the Agfa portfolio in the UK as we do in other countries", said Piet Cottenie, worldwide director of Sales and Marketing, Graphic Systems. Agfa and PTL have worked in very close co-operation before, therefore the acquisition is a natural step forward for both parties and is particularly good news for both Agfa's and PTL's customers."