Japanese measurement company Konica Minolta Optics has acquired Instrument Systems, the German supplier of LED test and measurement equipment. 

Instrument Systems GmbH, one of the LED industry’s best-known light measurement companies, has been acquired by Konica Minolta Optics, Inc., effective December 1.
Instrument Systems was founded in 1986 by its president, Richard Distl, and is based in Munich, Germany. The company supplies a comprehensive range of light measuring products for industrial and research applications. Key applications are LED and display measurement, as well as spectroradiometry and photometry. The subsidiary company Optronik Berlin GmbH is also included in the sale.

The Munich company will expand Konica Minolta’s sensing division, and the Instrument Systems brand will be retained. Richard Distl will continue as president and CEO.

“The company was established 26 years ago and it has undergone enormous growth since then,” said Distl. “The time had come to chart a strategic roadmap for the sustainable further development of the company. Konica Minolta is the right partner and offers outstanding framework conditions for development.”

Instrument Systems has posted very strong growth in recent years, and its 2011/12 financial year, which closed in June 2012, had the best results since the company was founded. Combined sales with the Optronik Berlin subsidiary rose by 27% to EUR 30.3 million ($39.6 million), up from EUR 23.9 million in the year ended June 2011.

Much of the growth came in the area of display metrology, with Instrument Systems capturing a number of major orders from leading brand manufacturers for consumer electronics.

However, Konica Minolta Optics was definitely interested in Instrument Systems reputation in the LED field. Toshihiko Karasaki, president of Konica Minolta Optics, said: “Our goal is to have a leading global position in all our corporate divisions and to integrate international talent within our group. Instrument Systems is the best company in LED lighting measurement to consistently implement this strategy.

“Together, we now cover all segments of display and light-source measurement and we are positioned as number one in this area,” continued Karasaki.

Konica Minolta Optics and Instrument Systems say that they will cooperate closely on product development in future with the objective of further expanding this position.

The acquisition of Instrument Systems comes several weeks after CSA Group acquired LED testing company Orb Optronix.