Barco Receives Prestigious Growth Strategy Leadership of the Year Award
and Technology Innovation Award

    KORTRIJK, Belgium, September 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Barco is proud to
announce that international growth consultant Frost & Sullivan has recognised
the company for its leadership in the medical imaging market by presenting it
with two prestigious awards. The first award, the Growth Strategy Leadership
of the Year Award, was conferred to Barco because the company has
successfully capitalised on the opportunities in the 3D medical imaging
arenas, and because it has shown an important growth in the area of medical
display systems. The second award, the Technology Innovation Award, is an
acknowledgement of Barco's exceptional success in the US mammography imaging
market for the fiscal year 2004.
    Barco has received the Growth Strategy Leadership Award for successfully
entering the high growth field of 3D imaging. Frost & Sullivan applauds
Barco's strategy in entering the field of 3D imaging by successfully
acquiring Voxar. Moreover, the company is optimistic that this approach will
pave the way for Barco to reach greater heights in the medical imaging
industry. "The acquisition of Voxar has enabled Barco to become a
comprehensive provider of 3D imaging solutions worldwide," says Srividya
Badrinarayanan, Industry Analyst Medical Imaging, Frost & Sullivan Healthcare
Practice. "Apart from projected revenue increases, Barco is also set to
capitalise on the long-term relationship built with over 30 PACS vendors who
have integrated Voxar's 3D software with their PACS. In turn, backed by
financial support from its parent company Barco, Voxar's team will gain major
momentum in designing new and innovative software. This will further boost
Barco's overall standing in the medical imaging industry."
    "We are very proud to accept this award as a recognition of our growing
expertise in 3D medical imaging," says Piet Candeel, Vice President of
Barco's Medical Imaging Systems business unit. "We strongly believe that 3D
imaging, integrated into the heart of the PACS workstation, is the way
forward for medical professionals to further improve their performance and
productivity and speed up their workflow."
    The second award conferred to Barco is the Technology Innovation Award.
Frost & Sullivan presented it to Barco particularly because of the company's
leadership, technological acumen and breadth in high-end, diagnostic displays
used for mammography reading.
    "Barco was the first CRT display manufacturer given FDA approval to
market its 5 mega pixel CRT display monitors as a dedicated mammography
imaging diagnostic solution, apart from a mammography imaging system,"
explains Katherine Shariq, Senior Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan
Healthcare Practice North America. "FDA clearance of its LCD-based Coronis
5MP Mammo diagnostic display as a digital mammography imaging solution
expands Barco's technical presence in the diagnostic market. Here, Barco's
established performance record and the Coronis 5MP Mammo's full-featured
functionality will give it an edge over competing offerings."
    "Barco was able to maintain leadership during the shift from CRT to LCD
technology. This ability has given Barco a unique position over its
competitors," explains Paul Matthijs, Vice President of Barco's Medical
Imaging Systems business unit. "Barco achieved this leading position by
always taking into account the stringent need of mammography professionals
for display solutions that maximise productivity and offer film-like,
diagnostic precision."
    About Barco
    Barco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium,
provides visualisation and display solutions for professional markets. Barco
designs and develops solutions for large screen visualisation, display
solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection.
Barco is active worldwide and has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing,
Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia
Pacific. Barco is quoted on Euronext Brussels and is a BEL 20 and a Next 150
company (Euronext: BAR; Reuters: BARBt.BR; Bloomberg: BAR BB).

    US contact:
    Diane M. Clifford
    Senior Marketing Manager
    Phone: +1-508-620-9446
    E-mail: diane.clifford@barco.com

    International contact:
    Koen Helsen
    Marketing Communications Manager
    Phone: +32-56-233-579
    E-mail: koen.helsen@barco.com

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