The color measurement market looked meaningfully different by the end of 2025 than it did at the start. Datacolor made two acquisitions that reshaped its position in print and packaging, and Konica Minolta exited the graphic arts instrument business entirely. Here's what happened, why, and what it means if you own a spectrophotometer.

What Happened: A Timeline

Datacolor's Twin Acquisitions of Techkon

TECHKON GmbH — January 30, 2025

Datacolor acquired TECHKON GmbH, the Königstein, Germany firm with more than 40 years in color measurement, known for high-quality instruments and software serving printing, packaging, and manufacturing. For Datacolor — already established in textiles, coatings, plastics, and photography — it was a direct expansion into the ink, printing, and packaging industry.

TECHKON USA — July 8, 2025

Roughly five months later, Datacolor acquired TECHKON USA, based in Danvers, Massachusetts. This brought in ChromaQA software and TECHKON USA's in-line spectrometers, which won FTA Technical Innovation Awards in both 2024 and 2025. TECHKON USA had spent 17 years building customer relationships across the Americas, distributing TECHKON GmbH instruments while developing its own software and in-line color solutions.

Together, the two deals gave Datacolor the hardware, the software, and the Americas distribution in a single stroke.

Konica Minolta Ends the MYIRO and FD Lines

In 2025, Konica Minolta announced that following a review of its internal product portfolio, it would end production and sales of the FD series and MYIRO series graphic arts instruments as of December 31, 2025. That includes the FD-5, FD-7, MYIRO-1, MYIRO-9 (formerly the FD-9), and the MYIRO color management software tools.

Importantly for existing owners: service, repair, calibration, and accessories continue until March 31, 2031 — a five-year support window from end of sales.

This was a graphic arts exit, not an exit from color measurement. Konica Minolta has continued to develop instruments for its core industrial color and light measurement markets, including the CF-300 spectrophotometer.

Why These Moves Happened

Datacolor: consolidation and reach

• Market specialization. Techkon brought decades-deep instrument expertise; Techkon USA brought software and in-line solutions honed in the Americas.
• Synergy across verticals. Datacolor already served textiles, plastics, and coatings — print and packaging tools slot into that portfolio.
• Global scale. Combining German engineering, US software, and Datacolor's worldwide sales and support network.

Konica Minolta: portfolio realignment

• Strategic refocus. Stepping out of the graphic arts niche to concentrate on core strengths in industrial color and light measurement.
• Lifecycle considerations. The FD/MYIRO line had matured, and the company's newer development effort sits elsewhere in the portfolio.

What It Means for Printers and Packagers

Consolidation of expertise

Datacolor now combines Techkon's spectrodensitometers, Techkon USA's in-line systems and ChromaQA analytics, and its own cross-industry capabilities. For customers, that points toward more unified, end-to-end color workflows — from press checks to in-line quality control — under a single vendor.

Fewer vendors, fewer integrations

• Streamlined support and device/software compatibility
• Improved traceability across production steps
• Less downtime chasing multiple vendors

A competitive shift

With MYIRO gone from the market, a meaningful population of graphic arts users needs a long-term instrument path — and the consolidated Datacolor/Techkon ecosystem is one of the obvious destinations. Expect the R&D dollars to follow, particularly in portable and in-line measurement.

If You Own a MYIRO or FD Instrument

Don't panic, but do plan. Your instrument still works, and Konica Minolta has committed to repair, calibration, and accessories through March 31, 2031. What you should be doing now:

• Know your support horizon. Five years sounds long; capital planning cycles are longer than you think.
• Verify instrument agreement before you switch. Instruments from different manufacturers can read the same patch differently. If you replace a MYIRO with something else mid-stream, confirm inter-instrument agreement against your existing baselines — or your historical color data stops being comparable.
• Don't mix modes. Whatever you migrate to, keep your measurement condition (M0/M1/M2) consistent with the standard you print to.

The Bottom Line

Datacolor's acquisitions consolidate its position as a go-to provider of color measurement in printing and packaging — from offline spectrophotometers to real-time in-line analytics. Konica Minolta's exit from graphic arts signals that color-quality control is centralizing under specialized, globally integrated players.

For printers and packagers, that promises better workflow consistency and a clearer innovation path. But it also means transitions have to be managed — instrument changes are color changes, and the shops that treat a measurement swap as a simple purchasing decision are the ones that discover the difference on press.

Schedule a Consultation

Wondering what this means for the instruments on your floor? We can help you plan a migration that keeps your color data comparable.
dang@aldertech.com