In Q2 sales at its Digital Printing Solutions division were up 7.7% year-on-year at €112m (£94.2m).
Gross profit margins at the operation improved from 24.1% to 31.9%, while adjusted EBITDA grew four-fold, to €11.6m.
Agfa said that ink sales were up 24% “driven by higher sales across all segments as well as ongoing ink swap program for Inca installed base”.
Agfa acquired Inca just over two years ago.
The manufacturer also said that the world’s first installation of the SpeedSet Orca single-pass inkjet at Delta Group was progressing well, with “print production becoming a reality”.
Delta Group chief operating officer Martin Shipp told Printweek the build phase for the SpeedSet at the firm’s new Bishop's Stortford supersite was going well.
“We haven’t inked it up yet but we’re probably looking at being about two weeks’ away from filling it with inks, and expect to get first production off it by the end of September,” he explained.
“Being the beta site we’re planning to push the boundaries of the machine, our intention is to try everything from 115gsm up to 2mm thick substrates.”
The SpeedSet Orca is B1 format and prints at up to 11,000sph.
Agfa CEO Pascal Juéry said he was excited to see the installation taking shape and for the device to be up and running soon, and noted that Delta was a very important customer.
Further customers are expected to adopt the technology once it is proven in the field.
“We have a lot of very hot prospects for the SpeedSet that are close to conclusion,” he stated.
New products and Agfa’s partnership with EFI contributed to the sales increase, while its Fespa showing would boost orders in H2.
Agfa chose not to exhibit at Drupa.
Green Hydrogen Solutions, which is part of the Digital Printing & Chemicals operation, also performed strongly.
The group's Healthcare IT had a strong quarter for order intake, although booked sales were down 6.4% at €58m.
Sales at Radiology Solutions were down 4.6% at €98m.
Conops – representing the supply of film and chemicals to ECO3 – posted flat sales of €18m and adjusted EBITDA of €1m.
Agfa also said the final outstanding amount due from Aurelius following the €92m sale of its Offset Solutions wing (now ECO3) was “still partly under discussion”.
The complex deal was announced in 2022 but did not complete until last year.
Juéry said it was “a material amount” at €30m, but was confident the matter would be successfully resolved, with final cash payment expected in Q4.
In Q2 the overall Agfa group of companies posted flat sales of €286m, and adjusted EBITDA up 67% at €22m, described as a “solid” quarter after soft trading in Q1.
Agfa plans to showcase new automation technology at the upcoming Printing United show in Las Vegas.
