Net profit hit 38m (EUR59.3M), compared to 19.8m this time last year. Sales were down 3.8% for the group, and 3.7% in its Graphic Systems division, but Graphic Systems operating profits before restructuring rose 36.4% to 48m.

Agfa said the growing adoption of CTP had boosted sales of digital plates. Its workflow software, Apogee XTM, was also popular and had been made available to the packaging industry, it added.

The group does not expect sales to pick up, but said it would continue to reap the benefits of Horizon, which should lead to a 50% increase in net profit in the second half of the year compared to the first.