METSS Corporation

What METSS Corporation does

METSS Corporation is an applied research and development company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. It provides innovative technical solutions in materials science, chemistry, engineering, microbiology, and testing to the US Department of Defense, all branches of the US military, federal agencies such as the EPA, DTRA, DLA, and AFRL, and selected industrial clients including oil and gas and healthcare. The company operates from an owner-occupied facility that combines offices, an analytical laboratory, a BSL-2 bioaerosol test chamber, mechanical and environmental testing capabilities, and pilot-scale light manufacturing, and is compliant with DFARS clause 252.204-7012 and NIST SP 800-171.

The product and service portfolio spans functional fluids (including the MIL-DTL-32353A-qualified 2190-S synthetic hydraulic fluid for Navy nuclear propulsion platforms and the METSS DHL-BT brine-tolerant downhole lubricant), advanced materials (high-performance rubbers, EMI shielding, self-sealing fuel bladders, chemical protective materials, and specialty resins), chemical and biological defense services, biological testing under EPA and ASTM standards, and specialized technologies such as a chlorine dioxide gas decontamination system and a rapid runway repair resin. The company also developed a novel ultrasonic sensor combined with neural network models for non-destructive evaluation of aged solid rocket propellants, and in 2023 secured a $14.0M Defense Production Act Title III award to establish domestic manufacturing capacity for 9 of 22 military-grade chemicals critical to DoD systems.

METSS generates revenue primarily through government R&D contracts — including SBIR Phase I/II awards, direct service-branch contracts, and supply contracts — supplemented by commercial product sales (notably the 2190-S fluid supplied to the Navy, commercial deicing products, and other commercialized technologies) and technology commercialization through strategic partnerships such as its collaboration with HBD Industries on cut-resistant VIM hoses for naval sonar operations. The go-to-market model is sales-led, executed through government proposal submissions, SBIR programs, and direct contracting with federal agencies, with no consumer-facing channels.

Name

METSS Corporation

Legal name

METSS Corporation

Website

https://metss.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

METSS Corporation is an applied R&D company providing materials, chemistry, engineering, and testing services to US military and federal agencies. Founded in 1994, it develops hydraulic fluids, decontamination systems, and advanced materials, commercializing government-funded innovations for defense and industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense and Applied R&D Services

NAICS

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252), Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060), Aircraft (3721), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Test, Measurement & Calibration Equipment Manufacturing Services (ATE, DAQ, metrology electronics) (IMAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ruggedized/Harsh-Environment Electronics Manufacturing (IP-rated, shock/vibration, wide-temp) (IMAGAGAF), Industrial Electronics Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) (IMAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Applied research development
• Defense materials engineering
• Chemical biological defense
• Hydraulic fluid development
• Biological testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government R&D Contracts: Majority of projects are government funded, providing R&D services to DoD, military branches, and federal agencies since 1994. Includes SBIR Phase I/II awards and direct contracts.
2. Commercial Product Sales: Manufacturing and supplying developed products including 2190-S synthetic hydraulic fluid for Navy submarines, commercial deicing products, and other commercialized technologies
3. Technology Commercialization: Transition of government-sponsored R&D technologies into commercial sector through strategic partnerships or separate business ventures including airport/runway deicing, plastics recycling, rubbers/sealants, lubricating fluids, surfactants, and disinfectants

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

METSS Corporation is an applied R&D company that provides engineering and scientific services, technology development, and product manufacturing primarily to U.S. Government defense and federal agency clients, with selective commercial spinoffs. Its offerings span functional fluids (synthetic hydraulic fluids, lubricants, deicing fluids), advanced materials (high-performance rubbers, EMI shielding, self-sealing fuel bladders, chemical protective materials), chemical/biological defense services, and BSL-2 biological testing, supported by in-house chemistry, engineering, and scale-up capabilities from laboratory through pilot and light manufacturing.

Product overview

METSS Corporation is an applied R&D company with 30 years of experience providing innovative yet practical solutions to challenging technical problems. The company operates as a diversified product and service organization organized around core technical capabilities in Materials, Chemistry, Engineering, Microbiology, and Testing. The product portfolio spans multiple categories: (1) Functional Fluids including the 2190-S synthetic hydraulic fluid for Navy submarines, METSS DHL-BT downhole lubricant, and environmentally friendly deicing fluids; (2) Advanced Materials including high performance rubbers, EMI shielding materials, self-sealing fuel tanks, and chemical protective materials; (3) Specialized Technologies including the ClO2 gas decontamination system, rapid runway repair resin, and powder coating removal technology; (4) CB Defense Services providing subject matter expertise, live agent R&D, and CB decontaminants; and (5) Biological Testing Services using BSL-2 laboratory and bioaerosol test chambers. The company also secured a $14.0M DPA Title III award for domestic production of critical chemicals. METSS serves both government (all branches of US military and agencies) and commercial/industrial clients, transitioning government-sponsored R&D into commercial products including deicing fluids, plastics recycling, rubber products, and chemical disinfectants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2190-S Synthetic Hydraulic and Lubricating Fluid Next-generation synthetic hydraulic and lubricating fluid qualified to MIL-DTL-32353A for U.S. Navy nuclear propulsion ships and submarines, with significantly longer service life than conventional fluids to reduce O&M costs and increase mission readiness.
• METSS DHL-BT Brine Tolerant Downhole Lubricant Engineered lubricant formulated with sustainable and environmentally safe materials that mixes with high brine solutions to form a stable, low-foam lubricating emulsion for high brine oil and gas wells.
• Compact Sensor for Non-Destructive Propellant Evaluation Novel ultrasonic sensor system combined with neural network models for non-destructive evaluation of solid rocket propellant mechanical properties, detecting mechanical degradation, cracking, and delamination without destructive testing.
• Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) Gas Decontamination System Automated on-site room decontamination technology using chlorine dioxide gas dispersion for hospital and non-hospital settings, achieving >6 log inactivation of virus and bacterial spores on porous materials and sensitive equipment.
• Rapid Runway Repair System Liquid resin technology for rapid repair of damaged runways in forward operating environments, curing in less than 1 hour under hot, cold, or wet conditions.
• Powder Coating Removal Technology Environmentally friendly chemistry that removes crosslinked polyester powder coatings from metal substrates without damaging the underlying surface.
• Environmentally Friendly Deicing and Anti-icing Fluids Aircraft wing deicing fluid based on renewable resources, with extensions to commercial products for runway, roadway, and industrial deicing and anti-icing applications.
• Functional Fluids Portfolio Comprehensive suite of functional fluids including next-generation hydraulic fluids, lubricants, greases, surfactants, anti-wear additives, corrosion inhibitors, deicing and anti-icing fluids, cleaners, sterilants/disinfectants, dielectric fluids, alternative fuels, and thermal control fluids for defense and industrial applications.
• Advanced Materials Portfolio Broad portfolio of advanced materials including high-performance rubbers, electrostatic dissipative materials, EMI materials, chemical protective materials, barrier films, intumescent coatings, self-sealing materials, specialty resins, polymer processing and recycling, impact-resistant self-sealing fuel tanks, propulsion system catalysts, and hydrophobic/hydrophilic coatings.
• CB Defense Services Chemical and biological defense capabilities including subject matter expertise, live agent R&D experience, materials hardness and survivability assessment (NBCCS), agent-substrate interactions, agent persistence analysis, CB protective materials (COLPRO, PPE, coatings), CB decontaminants (liquid, solid, vapor), CB operational analysis, and modeling and simulation.
• Biological Testing Services BSL-2 laboratory testing services for Risk Group 2 bacteria (Gram positive and negative), virus surrogates (non-enveloped and enveloped bacteriophages), and surface/bioaerosol efficacy testing based on EPA and ASTM standards under varied conditions.
• Lightweight Aircraft Fuel Bladders Lightweight, crash-resistant, ballistic-tolerant flexible fuel tanks for military aircraft per MIL-DTL-27422, including advanced lightweight designs and self-sealing technologies for next-generation fuel containment systems.
• Surface Ship Fat Line Towed Array Cut-Resistant VIM Hose Cut-resistant rubber for Vibration Isolation Module (VIM) hoses used in naval sonar operations, manufactured and tested in partnership with HBD Industries to increase service life, reduce costs, and maintain mission readiness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2190-S fluid has much longer service life than conventional fluids, reducing O&M costs and increasing mission readiness
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HBD IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to re-establish VIM hose production capability. HBD Industries located in Oneida, TN partnered with METSS to manufacture and test new cut-resistant VIM hoses for naval sonar operations. This partnership enabled fleet integration of the developed technology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Applied Research Associates (ARA): Mid-sized employee-owned defense R&D firm with materials science, engineering, and test/evaluation capabilities for DoD and federal customers — closely aligned with METSS's mix of applied research, materials development, and field testing.
• SURVICE Engineering: Employee-owned defense contractor specializing in test and evaluation, survivability, and chemical/biological defense for DoD — overlaps directly with METSS's test capabilities, CB defense SME work, and survivability assessments.
• Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC): Mid-sized non-profit defense R&D services firm focused on installation support, materials, and engineering for the Army and Navy — comparable as a smaller-scale government R&D services peer operating alongside primes.

Broad incumbents

• SAIC: Large federal services and solutions integrator with deep Navy and DoD R&D / engineering services portfolio — a broader incumbent that competes for the same contract vehicles METSS targets but at enterprise scale.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large, non-profit applied R&D organization serving DoD, DOE, and intelligence agencies with deep chemistry, materials, and biological defense capabilities — directly comparable to METSS's contract R&D model but at vastly greater scale and budget.
• Leidos: Major DoD, intelligence, and federal engineering services contractor with materials, sensors, and CBRN-related programs — represents the scaled incumbent METSS could partner with as a subcontractor.
• ManTech International: Federal services contractor with significant DoD R&D, CBRN, and sustainment work — comparable as a larger competitor and potential partner for METSS in classified defense materials and testing programs.
• Huntington Ingalls Industries / Alion (AMSEC): Through the Alion Science / AMSEC acquisition, HII offers Navy-focused engineering, test and evaluation, and CB defense services that overlap with METSS's propulsion, fluids, and submarine programs.

Emerging players

• Cornerstone Research Group: Smaller defense-focused materials R&D firm developing smart materials, sensors, and energy-absorbing structures for military customers — comparable emerging peer in advanced defense materials and applied sensing.

Regional players

• University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI): Ohio-based, multi-disciplinary defense R&D organization with strong materials, propulsion, and sensor programs — a regional peer sharing geography with METSS and overlapping into Air Force and Navy research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metss-corporation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 METSS Corporation