What ColorLite does

ColorLite GmbH is a German family-owned manufacturer of spectral colour measurement instruments, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Katlenburg-Lindau, Lower Saxony. The company designs, develops, and produces portable spectrophotometers (sph900, sph870, sph xs1, sph RG2), stationary benchtop systems (ColorCube, ColorTube), inline production-process measurement systems (sph9i, sph ipm), and a spectral densitometer (sd350). Its core technology is based on white LED illumination — ColorLite was the first company to implement white LEDs as a light source in spectrophotometers, a capability derived from founder Dr. David Pryor's 12+ years of LED research at the University of Applied Sciences Hannover. Devices feature 3.5nm spectral resolution, 16-bit quantization (65,536 steps), PTB-traceable calibration, multiple measurement geometries (45°/0°, d/8°, d/0°), and modular accessories (MA35, MA38, MA80) for diverse sample types including powders, liquids, granules, structured surfaces, and small components.

The company serves industrial quality-control buyers in automotive (Bosch, Faurecia), plastics (Klöckner Pentaplast), chemicals (BASF), food (Tchibo), steel (Salzgitter AG), and industrial automation (ABB), with primary verticals being plastics, automotive, food, paint and coatings, and technical components/cables. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales (ex-works pricing with custom quotations), recurring accessories and consumables, software licences (ColorDaTra Professional), and professional services including calibration, repair (3-5 day turnaround with rental device option), remote maintenance, and training. Distribution combines a direct sales team for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (led by Jörg Arnold) with a certified dealer network spanning over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America.

ColorLite markets through industry trade shows (KUTENO, Fakuma), an extensive content-marketing info centre covering colour fundamentals and measurement geometry, video demonstrations, email newsletters, and social media (Facebook, Instagram, X). The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (2024), won the Red Dot industry design prize for ColorCube in 2016, and received the South Lower Saxony Best Innovation in Metrology award in 2017 for a microscope-spectrophotometer-camera system enabling colour measurement on parts smaller than 1mm. It maintains strategic co-development partnerships with SKZ (Würzburg Plastics Center) for plastics Industry 4.0 solutions and a flagship inline partnership with Salzgitter AG for steel coil coating process control.

Name

ColorLite

Legal name

ColorLite GmbH

Website

https://colorlite.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ColorLite GmbH is a German family-owned manufacturer of LED-based spectral colour measurement instruments — portable, benchtop, and inline spectrophotometers plus densitometers — serving industrial quality control in automotive, plastics, food, chemicals, and coatings across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spectrophotometers & Color Measurement Instruments

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Color Matching, Tinting & Colorant Systems (IMAEAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE), Machine Vision & Inspection Lighting (Ring lights, bar lights, backlights, strobed illumination) (IMAGAIAG)

Keywords

• Spectral color measurement
• Spectrophotometer manufacturing
• Industrial colorimetry
• Inline color measurement
• Color quality control

Headquarters

HQ city

Katlenburg-lindau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Spectrophotometer Hardware Sales: Sale of portable spectrophotometers (sph900, sph870, sph xs1, sph RG2), stationary spectrophotometers (ColorCube, ColorTube), inline/online systems (sph9i, sph ipm), and densitometers (sd350). One-time hardware purchase model with ex-works pricing.
2. Accessories and Spare Parts: Measurement adapters (MA35, MA38, MA80), powder presses, glass cuvettes, working standards, and other accessories. Consumables and replacement parts for existing devices.
3. Service and Support: Calibration services, repair services (3-5 business day turnaround with rental device option), on-site service, remote maintenance, training, and consulting. Customer-specific hardware and software solutions.
4. Software (ColorDaTra): ColorDaTra software for data transfer, visualisation in CIE L*a*b* diagrams, trend analysis, and report generation. Advanced ΔE formulas (CMC, CIE94) for professional colour evaluation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ColorLite GmbH develops, manufactures, and markets LED-based spectral color measurement devices for industrial use. The portfolio includes portable, benchtop, and inline spectrophotometers (sph series), a spectral densitometer (sd350), modular measurement adapters, and ColorDaTra data-management software, sold direct in DACH and via certified distributors in 30+ countries for color quality control in automotive, plastics, food, chemicals, and coatings.

Product overview

ColorLite GmbH is a German manufacturer of spectral colour measurement instruments offering a portfolio of portable, stationary, and inline spectrophotometers, as well as spectral densitometers. The portable line includes the sph900 and sph870 (both supporting 45°/0° and optional d/8° geometries), the compact sph xs1 for small samples, and the multi-angle sph RG2 for effect colours. Industrial solutions comprise the inline sph9i for real-time process colour control and sph ipm for bulk material monitoring. Stationary benchtop systems include the Red Dot award-winning ColorCube and ColorTube for laboratory use. The sd350 spectral densitometer serves automotive, printing and screen printing applications. Accessories such as MA35, MA38, and MA80 adapters extend measurement capabilities for various sample types. All devices operate standalone or connect via USB/network to ColorDaTra Professional software for data management and analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ColorLite sph900 Portable Spectrophotometer High-precision portable LED-illuminated spectrophotometer with dual measurement geometry (45°/0° standard, d/8° optional via MA35 adapter), 3.5mm minimum measuring spot, long-term-stable LED illumination, and automatic measurement triggering for one-handed operation. Intended for industrial QA users measuring solid, small, or curved samples.
• ColorLite sph870 Portable Spectrophotometer Portable spectrophotometer with compact design, compatible with the same accessories as the sph900, supporting both 45°/0° and d/8° measurement geometries for flexible on-site color QC.
• ColorLite sph xs1 Portable Spectrophotometer Portable spectrophotometer with smaller probe head (S-version) for measuring very small objects and samples, suited to small-component and micro-part color QA.
• ColorLite sph RG2 Multi-Angle Spectrophotometer Multi-angle spectrophotometer variant designed for measuring effect varnishes and goniochromatic (color-shifting) surfaces.
• ColorLite sph9i Inline Spectrophotometer Inline spectrophotometer for continuous color measurement in running production processes; equipped with infrared temperature sensor, thermo-chromatic compensation, and fully automatic calibration unit. Connects to process control systems for real-time color monitoring (e.g., coil coating at Salzgitter AG).
• ColorLite sph ipm Inline Process Monitor Industrial online color measurement system for inline monitoring of granules, compounds, and other bulk materials during production.
• ColorLite ColorCube Benchtop Spectrophotometer Benchtop spectrophotometer with overriding accuracy and stability for reflection and transmission measurements of samples in quality control laboratories; Red Dot Design Award 2016 winner.
• ColorLite ColorTube Stationary Spectrophotometer Stationary spectrophotometer for laboratory color measurement applications.
• ColorLite sd350 Spectral Densitometer Spectral densitometer for density measurement of colors; highest precision and excellent instrument-to-instrument agreement; designed for automotive industry, printing, and screen-printing manufacturers.
• ColorDaTra Professional Software Software for archiving reference standards, visualizing measurement values in CIE L*a*b* diagrams, analyzing trends, applying advanced ΔE formulas (CMC, CIE94), generating reports, and batch comparison across different locations. Connects to ColorLite spectrophotometers via USB or network.
• ColorLite Service & Support (Calibration, Repair, Remote Maintenance, Training, Consulting) Service offering including calibration services, repair services (3-5 business-day turnaround with rental-device option), on-site service, remote maintenance via internet, training, consulting, and customer-specific hardware and software solutions for ColorLite color measurement devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 wavelength values recorded in visible spectrum with 16-bit resolution (65,536 steps per wavelength)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SKZ (Das Kunststoff Zentrum Würzburg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation with Würzburg Plastics Center for development of spectral online colour measurement systems for the plastics industry. Joint projects include online colour measurement with thermochromatic function, measurement on plastic string extrusion, and colour measurement for extrusion blow molding process. Partnership supports Industry 4.0 requirements and market needs.
• Salzgitter AGflagshipTechnology or IntegrationSuccess story partnership for online colour measurement on steel coil using sph9i spectrophotometer. System enables continuous colour measurement during running coil coating process with infrared temperature sensor and thermo-chromatic compensation. Includes fully automatic calibration unit, industrial PC, and touch screen terminal.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• X-Rite: Global leader in color science and spectrophotometry, now part of Danaher alongside Pantone. Directly competes with ColorLite across portable, benchtop, and inline color measurement for automotive, plastics, paints, and packaging customers.
• Datacolor: Swiss-based provider of color management solutions including spectrophotometers and color formulation software. Targets paint, plastics, textile, and coatings manufacturers with hardware/software bundles, competing head-to-head with ColorLite in similar end markets.
• HunterLab: US-based manufacturer of benchtop and portable spectrophotometers for industrial color measurement across food, chemicals, plastics, and coatings. Closely comparable in product positioning and SME scale to ColorLite.
• Lovibond (Tintometer): Manufacturer of color measurement instruments including spectrophotometers for water, food, and industrial applications. Comparable in scale and product category to ColorLite, with overlapping target verticals.
• BYK-Gardner: Specialist in color and appearance measurement (part of ALTANA) for the coatings, plastics, and automotive industries. Overlaps directly with ColorLite's portable and benchtop spectrophotometer offerings and shares automotive OEM customers.
• Konica Minolta Sensing: Major manufacturer of spectrophotometers and color measurement instruments serving automotive, paints/coatings, plastics, and food industries. Directly overlaps with ColorLite's product portfolio and target verticals, with a substantially larger global footprint.
• Elcometer: UK-based manufacturer of inspection and coating measurement instruments, including color and gloss measurement devices. Shares automotive, coatings, and industrial inspection customers with ColorLite.

Broad incumbents

• Shimadzu: Large Japanese analytical and measurement instrument maker with spectrophotometer products used in materials, chemical, and life-science laboratories. Adjacent competitor in the broader analytical-instruments category, with greater scale and broader portfolio.

Others

• Standox: Axalta-owned automotive refinish paint brand. Adjacent ecosystem participant that relies on spectrophotometric color matching for its own product operations, representing both a potential partner and a sophisticated end user of color measurement technology.

Emerging players

• 3NH Technology: Chinese manufacturer of color measurement instruments offering lower-priced portable and benchtop spectrophotometers. Competes with ColorLite on price-sensitive accounts in plastics, paint, and textile verticals, particularly in Asia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/799585496777659
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorlite-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ColorLite