Belgian imaging technology company Agfa Gevaert reported a net loss last year of $23 million because of the bankruptcy of its AgfaPhoto unit, the company announced this week. However, the result marked an improvement from the loss of about $174 million posted for 2004.

Sales fell 12.1 percent last year to just above $4 billion from about $4.5 billion in 2004 while earnings before interest taxes, depreciation and amortization fell 15.4 percent to just over $493 million from $583.5 million in 2004.

Agfa said that steep price increases for most of its products, announced at the beginning of the year, should take effect from the second quarter.