Alexander Van Meeuwen named AGFA Senior Vice President of Graphic Systems.

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1996--Agfa announced today the appointment of Alexander van Meeuwen as Agfa senior vice president for Graphic Systems. Effective December 1, 1996, Alexander van Meeuwen will head the Graphic Systems Business Group. In assuming this new position, van Meeuwen succeeds Jerry Stolt, who will be taking on new corporate responsibilities within the Agfa organization.

Alexander van Meeuwen joined Agfa-Gevaert in 1981 in the Netherlands as a marketing manager for Office Systems. Since then, he has held a number of positions in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President of the Graphic Systems Business Group in the U.K. Alexander holds a Masters in Business Economics with a concentration in Marketing, from the University of Rotterdam.

With his extensive Graphic Systems management background in the U.K., Alexander van Meeuwen brings some unique perspectives on Agfa, its prepress, plate solutions and the marketplace to this position. He says, "I intend to build on Agfa's commitment to strengthening the business relationships with our partners and customers to ensure stable and mutually beneficial business levels."

According to van Meeuwen, "One of the greatest market growth potentials for Agfa lies on the desktop. With the recent expansion of our digital cameras and scanners, we're reaching new markets_like the Small Office/Home Office market and consumers." He adds, "I truly believe in the value of the recent Enco acquisition. We are now the number one supplier of printing and publishing solutions worldwide_the acquisition complements the range of solutions we can offer to the graphic arts industry." On the subject of digital printing, van Meeuwen notes, "Digital Printing is evolving and getting better by the day. With the new enhancements in Chromapress, and our marketing support programs outlining the various advantages of digital printing, we anticipate bigger digital printing sales in 1997."

Concerning his plans for the U.S. Graphic Systems Group, van Meeuwen says, "I intend to bring the different disciplines in Agfa together to build a more cohesive team between marketing, field service, sales and our distribution partners. Everyone should be looking at ways to maximize the revenue stream with improved internal productivity - and taking a much more focused approach to the products and the market."

The Agfa-Gevaert Group is a leading worldwide manufacturer of imaging products and systems, with annual worldwide sales of $4.5 billion. Agfa-Gevaert manufactures and markets products and systems for the electronic and photographic prepress, medical and technical diagnostic, and amateur and professional photographic markets. Headquartered in Europe, Agfa-Gevaert is wholly owned by Bayer AG. In the United States, Agfa operates as a division of Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation has been ISO 9001 officially certified by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance. Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care, chemicals and imaging technologies. The company had 1995 sales of $8 billion and employs 23,500 people. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion chemical and pharmaceutical company based in Leverkusen, Germany.

CONTACT: Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation

Mark Sullivan

Senior Marketing Communications Manager

201/440-2500, ext. 4204