Metrohm - The History and Mission of the Company

In 1943 the Swiss engineer Bertold Suhner started his business in rented rooms on the second floor of an old textile factory in Herisau/Switzerland. Back from England, where he had worked in the infant field of electronics and high-frequency technology, he and his partner designed such diverse equipment as radios and oscilloscopes. While pursuing his favorite pastime of hiking in the Alps he met with a chemist from J. R. Geigy, the well-known Basle company, and as a result, the chemist and the mechanical engineer developed Metrohm's first pH meter – just a few years after the legendary Dr. Arnold Beckman introduced the first instrumental pH-measuring device in the USA. Mr. Suhner earned his PhD degree in Science at the age of 73.

Out of humble beginnings grew a company which today leads the world market in ion analysis by covering all the relevant electroanalytical methods. Throughout the history of the company there have been many «firsts» like the first combined pH electrode dating from 1950 and the first piston burette in 1956, which today is the basic component of all commercial titrators and liquid handling systems. It is hard to believe that already in 1968 Metrohm introduced the first digital titrator, the first digital electronic buret and in the seventies the first 16-bit microprocessor-controlled titrator.

Already in 1954 Metrohm had devised the first truly usable automatic polarographic device for ultratrace analysis by introducing a novel electrode assembly. Metrohm has led this market ever since. Voltammetry has established itself as an excellent analytical method for the determination of traces and ultratraces down to the ppt level.

A major diversification of Metrohm's range of products in ion analysis occurred in 1987. Metrohm introduced the first easy-to-use "single column" ion chromatograph to the market. From then on it took a decade until the highly sensitive and reliable new suppressor technology formed the basis of Metrohm's extraordinary success in the important field of Ion Chromatography. Metrohm is also strongly engaged in the fields of online analysis and biotechnology with its participation in Applikon BV. The field of electrochemical R & D for sensors, corrosion and semiconductors is dominated by ECO Chemie, another group company. Both companies are domiciled in The Netherlands.

Metrohm AG is the only company providing practically all the relevant ion analysis technologies under one roof: titration (potentiometric and Karl Fischer), VA (ultra) trace analysis and ion chromatography. These do not primarily compete with each other but are complementary techniques. In addition, Metrohm's pH, ion and conductivity meters, stability measuring instruments, software for networking and other instruments, and peripheral units as well as a full range of dosing and liquid handling products plus sensors for all kinds of applications form a powerful range of tools providing ease of use in today's analytical laboratories. The family of more than 75 individual instruments accompanied by comprehensive automation and software products is a unique pool of tools for Metrohm's clients world-wide, allowing them to satisfy their needs in ion analysis and liquid handling from one single source.

In the early 1980s the owners donated the Metrohm company without compensation to the Metrohm Foundation, whose purpose is to keep the company independent, to provide meaningful employment to local people and to support causes of public interest in our home canton.

Today, more than 350 people work at the location that started with the rented apartment; the Metrohm Group includes more than 30 subsidiaries or joint venture companies covering 47 countries which account for more than two third of total sales and employ well over 1000 people. Metrohm maintains a world-wide distributor network which ensures that you have a competent partner to talk to in ion analysis wherever you may work in this world.