Agfa's TWO Suitors

The Slaying of the Suitors, image courtesy of http://www.mainlesson.com

I've written before about Agfa being for sale, and Siemens needing a PACS product. In an article yesterday, AuntMinnie.com put these seemingly disparate facts together like chocolate and peanut butter in a Reese's cup:

Agfa-Gevaert of Mortsel, Belgium, reportedly has spoken with Erlangen, Germany-based Siemens about the possibility of selling Agfa HealthCare as part of its strategic review process, according to published reports.

The Financial Times reported that Los Angeles-based equity group Gores Group also has shown interest in acquiring Agfa HealthCare. If Gores were to acquire the division, the story added that Gores is likely to leave management of the healthcare operations in place.

Gores already has holdings in the healthcare market. In July 2007, the group purchased the diagnostic imaging division of HealthSouth of Birmingham, AL. The new company, Diagnostic Health, is one of the larger imaging center chains in the U.S.

The report also noted that an acquisition of Agfa HealthCare by Gores could generate opposition from organized labor in Belgium, adding that the transaction would result in some short-term layoffs.

In 2007, Agfa HealthCare posted net sales of approximately $2.2 billion (U.S.).

Representatives for Agfa and Siemens Healthcare of Malvern, PA, declined to comment to AuntMinnie.com on the report.

Just remember, boys. As the Mossad (the Israeli equivalent of the CIA) puts it, "Never say 'No comment.' 'No comment' is a comment."