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| Metas (Switzerland) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Metas |
| Native name | Metas AG |
| Type | Private |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Daniel Graf; Markus Furrer |
| Headquarters | Bern, Switzerland |
| Industry | Metrology; Instrumentation; Standards |
| Products | Coordinate measuring machines; Optical metrology systems; Calibration services |
| Employees | ~350 (2024) |
| Website | metas.ch |
Metas (Switzerland) is a Swiss national metrology institute and commercial metrology company focused on precision measurement, standards, and calibration. Founded in the early 21st century, Metas operates at the intersection of national standards institutions, industrial testing laboratories, and international measurement networks. Its work connects to organizations and initiatives such as International Organization for Standardization, European Association of National Metrology Institutes, World Metrology Day, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, and European Commission research programs.
Metas was established amid a European consolidation of metrology and standards in the early 2000s, influenced by developments surrounding BIPM, CIPM, EURAMET, International Bureau of Weights and Measures, and Swiss federal policy. Early collaborations linked Metas with ETH Zurich, EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, and the Paul Scherrer Institute to align national measurement capabilities with international SI redefinitions driven by research at institutions such as National Institute of Standards and Technology and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s Metas expanded capabilities in electrical, optical, and mechanical metrology, engaging with projects associated with Horizon 2020, CERN, European Space Agency, and industrial partners like ABB, Siemens, Roche, and Novartis. Major milestones included accreditation under International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation frameworks, participation in interlaboratory comparisons with National Research Council (Canada), and contributions to SI unit traceability campaigns influenced by the 2019 redefinition of SI.
Metas is organized as a joint stock company with oversight and strategic alignment tied to federal mandates, European metrology networks, and industry consortia. Governance bodies draw expertise from institutions including Swiss Confederation, Federal Office of Metrology, Swiss National Science Foundation, and representatives from academic centers such as University of Bern, University of Geneva, and University of Zurich. Advisory and technical committees include liaisons to European Committee for Standardization, International Electrotechnical Commission, and specialized working groups that coordinate with laboratories like NIST, PTB, LNE, and VSL. Corporate structure comprises divisions for electrical metrology, mechanical metrology, chemical metrology, and calibration services, supported by legal and quality assurance functions aligned with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation practices.
Metas conducts R&D across traceability chains and measurement science, collaborating with research programs such as FP7, Horizon Europe, and bilateral projects with Japan Metrology Institute, KRISS, and NMIJ. Research themes intersect with precision timekeeping linked to International Atomic Time, quantum measurement linked to quantum standards initiatives, and photonics linked to SwissPhotonics and projects at Paul Scherrer Institute. Projects have addressed microwave and RF metrology in partnership with ETH Zurich, cryogenic metrology for superconducting devices linked to CERN and Max Planck Institute, and biomedical measurement methods jointly developed with University Hospital Zürich, University Hospital Geneva, Roche Diagnostics, and Medtronic. Publications and standards contributions appear alongside authors from IEEE, Journal of Applied Physics, Metrologia, and reports to CODATA-related activities.
Metas offers calibrated instruments, reference materials, and consultancy services for traceability used by clients including ABB, Bosch, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Siemens Healthineers, Nestlé, and GlaxoSmithKline. Product lines encompass coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) comparable to offerings from Hexagon AB, optical profilers akin to Bruker, and electrical standards resonant with equipment from Keysight Technologies and Fluke. Service portfolios include on-site and in-house calibration, proficiency testing with partners like UKAS, certified reference material production paralleling NIST programs, and bespoke measurement campaigns for aerospace contracts with ESA and Swiss Space Office.
Metas maintains formal partnerships across national and international institutions: membership in EURAMET and coordination with BIPM; research consortia with ETH Zurich, EPFL, Paul Scherrer Institute; and industry alliances with ABB, Siemens, Roche, Novartis, and Schindler Group. It participates in collaborative benchmarking programs with NIST, PTB, LNE, VSL, METAS partners in Asia such as KRISS and NMIJ, and standards development via IEC and ISO technical committees. Cross-sector projects span healthcare diagnostics with Roche Diagnostics and Siemens Healthineers, aerospace metrology with Airbus and ESA, and energy-sector measurement systems with Alstom and Siemens Energy.
Headquartered in Bern, Metas operates laboratories and calibration centers in Swiss locations including facilities near Zurich, Lausanne, and regional centers serving industrial clusters in Basel, Lucerne, and the Canton of Vaud. Key laboratory spaces include acoustic and vibration suites comparable to those at Paul Scherrer Institute, photonics laboratories linked to SwissPhotonics, and cleanroom environments interoperable with university spin-offs and technology transfer offices such as those at EPFL Innovation Park and ETH Transfer. Metas also deploys mobile calibration units and on-site measurement teams for clients across Switzerland and EU member states.
Metas has influenced national measurement policy, contributed to international metrology standards, and supported industrial competitiveness for Swiss firms cited by Swissmem and chambers of commerce. It has received recognition for technical excellence through collaborative awards and citations in publications tied to EURAMET comparisons, contributions to CODATA recommendations, and roles in World Metrology Day outreach. Its traceability services underpin regulatory compliance cited in directives and standards adopted across European Commission frameworks, and its research outputs feature in journals and conference proceedings associated with Metrologia, IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Magazine, and Optica.