What MBV does

MBV AG is a Swiss, second-generation family-owned manufacturer of microbial air monitoring instruments, headquartered in Stäfa, Switzerland with approximately 70 employees. Founded in 1985 by Hans Zingre and currently led by CEO Ronny Zingre, the company designs, develops, and produces the MAS-100 product line of active and passive microbial air samplers based on impaction technology with 100 L/min (or 200 SLPM on the new Sirius) aspiration onto agar detection surfaces. The portfolio covers cleanroom, isolator/RABS, compressed gas, and real-time biofluorescence (via partner Plair SA) applications, complemented by an ISO 17025-accredited in-house calibration laboratory.

The company sells to pharmaceutical manufacturers as its primary vertical, with additional customers in hospitals and medical device production, food and cosmetics manufacturing, research institutions, and HVAC/indoor air quality operators. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, and a minimum order value of CHF 200 applies. Distribution is primarily handled through a long-standing global partnership with Merck KGaA (renewed for five years in 2021), supplemented by direct enterprise sales from MBV headquarters, online expert consultations, and a certified global service center network.

Revenue is generated from hardware sales of MAS-100 instruments (Sirius, NT, Iso NT, Iso MH, VF, Libra, Atmos), the MAS-100 Regulus calibration anemometer and accessories, plus recurring service and calibration revenue from the ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, IQ/OQ qualification, maintenance and repair, and training. Recent strategic moves include the 2026 launch of the MAS-100 Sirius, the 2025 launch of MAS-100 Libra, a 2024 calibration laboratory expansion, the global distribution partnership for Plair's Rapid-C+ real-time detector, and the July 2026 appointment of a Chief Client Officer to drive international growth.

Name

MBV

Legal name

MBV AG

Website

https://mbv.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MBV AG is a Swiss family-owned manufacturer of MAS-100 microbial air samplers and ISO 17025-accredited calibration services for pharmaceutical cleanroom, hospital, food, and research customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbial Air Monitoring Equipment

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Air & Aerosol Monitoring (Bioaerosols, Mold, Yeast, Airborne Pathogens) (AFALAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (Culture/ID/AST) (HLAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Microbial air monitoring
• Active air samplers
• Cleanroom compliance
• Pharmaceutical environmental monitoring
• Microbiology laboratory equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Stäfa

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Air Sampler Hardware Sales: Sale of MAS-100 microbial air samplers including MAS-100 Sirius, MAS-100 NT, MAS-100 Iso NT, MAS-100 Iso MH, MAS-100 VF, MAS-100 Libra, and MAS-100 Atmos. Instruments are available for isolators, RABS, cleanrooms, and compressed gas applications.
2. Service and Calibration: Calibration, adjustment, repair, and maintenance services for MAS-100 instruments. IQ/OQ qualification services. Training and education on MAS-100 product palette. Services provided at MBV headquarters in Switzerland and through certified service centers globally.
3. Rapid-C+ Distribution: Exclusive distribution of Plair's Rapid-C+ real-time air sampler in DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), bringing biofluorescence technology to customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MBV AG manufactures and sells the MAS-100 family of microbial air samplers for detecting and monitoring airborne microbiological contamination in pharmaceutical cleanrooms, hospitals, food and cosmetics production, and research environments. The portfolio includes active air samplers (MAS-100 Sirius, Iso NT, Iso MH, VF), an automated settle plate changer (MAS-100 Libra), a compressed gas sampler (MAS-100 Atmos), the Plair Rapid-C+ real-time detector, and the MAS-100 Regulus digital anemometer, complemented by ISO 17025-accredited calibration, maintenance, repair, and IQ/OQ qualification services.

Product overview

MBV is a Swiss family-owned company and global market leader in microbial air monitoring with over 40 years of experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of MAS-100 air samplers designed for microbiological air monitoring in pharmaceutical, medical device, food, cosmetics, and research industries. The product line includes: (1) Active air samplers - MAS-100 Sirius (next-generation successor to NT), MAS-100 Iso NT (single sampling point for isolators/RABS), MAS-100 Iso MH (multiple sampling points), MAS-100 VF (cleanroom use), and Rapid-C+ (real-time detection); (2) Passive air monitoring - MAS-100 Libra (automated settle plate changer); (3) Compressed gas sampling - MAS-100 Atmos; (4) Calibration tools - MAS-100 Regulus digital anemometer; (5) Accessories including HEPA filters and hygiene inspection equipment; (6) Supporting services including ISO 17025-accredited calibration, maintenance, repair, and IQ/OQ qualification. The products are designed, developed, and manufactured in Switzerland with global distribution primarily through partnership with Merck.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAS-100: MAS stands for Microbial Air Sampler and 100 for 100 liters per minute collection speed. Product line includes MAS-100 Iso NT, MAS-100 Iso MH, MAS-100 Sirius, MAS-100 VF, MAS-100 Libra, MAS-100 Atmos, and Rapid-C+.

Products and services

• MAS-100 Sirius Active microbial air sampler and successor to the MAS-100 NT, designed for cleanroom air monitoring with 200 SLPM high flow rate, built-in leak test, dual-sensor design for early detection of sensor drifts, tamper-evident audit trail, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant user management. Validated per ISPE GAMP 5, PDA TR #13, EU GMP Annex 1, and ISO 14698/EN 17141.
• MAS-100 Iso NT Active air sampler with a single sampling point for use in isolators and RABS environments. Made from premium stainless steel components with connectivity options including Ethernet, Profibus, ProfiNet, USB and Digital I/O.
• MAS-100 Iso MH Active air sampler with multiple sampling points for isolators and RABS environments. Premium stainless steel construction with comprehensive connectivity options for integration with higher-level systems.
• MAS-100 VF Active air sampler designed for cleanroom applications.
• MAS-100 Libra Automated settle plate changer for passive air monitoring. Automates the changing of settle plates for continuous cleanroom monitoring without operator intervention. Validated for VHP decontamination with >6-log reduction.
• MAS-100 Atmos Compressed gas sampler for collecting microorganisms from compressed gases. Features ease of use, comprehensive security, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant workflows. Replaces predecessor model MAS 100 CG Ex.
• Rapid-C+ Active air sampler with real-time detection capability using biofluorescence technology. Combines real-time counting with traditional active air sampling for continuous monitoring rather than time-delayed colony counting.
• MAS-100 Regulus Digital anemometer used for calibrating the airflow of MAS-100 air samplers. Enables fully automatic, simple, precise, and time-saving verification and calibration.
• Calibration and Adjustment Service ISO 17025-accredited calibration laboratory providing air flow calibration for MAS-100 air samplers using high-precision digital anemometer. Ensures traceability to international standards.
• Maintenance and Repair Service Expert repairs and maintenance for peak performance of MAS-100 instruments, provided directly from the manufacturer.
• IQ/OQ Qualification Service Comprehensive IQ/OQ qualification services supporting compliance with regulatory requirements for MAS-100 instruments.
• MAS-100 Accessories Range of MAS-100 accessories including HEPA filters (preventing cross-cleanroom particle contamination), air funnels for hygiene inspections (displacement, TAV, and swirl diffusers), and hygiene inspection transport cases for HVAC inspections per VDI 6022/SWKI VA104-01.

Quantifiable outcome

• Validated VHP decontamination achieving >6-log reduction at all critical positions for MAS-100 Libra
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Merck KGaAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 February 2021Long-standing global partnership renewed for five years (2021). Merck distributes MAS-100 products worldwide with a global service center network. Joint development of the MAS-100 product line with customer feedback informing new generations. Pre-sales rights for specific products in defined regions.
• Plair SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2020Strategic partnership with Swiss spin-off from University of Geneva. MBV is exclusive distributor of Rapid-C+ real-time air microbial detector in DACH region. Joint development of automated solutions combining technologies of both companies for microbiological monitoring. Growth Direct Day collaboration showcasing combined innovations.
• FemroncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company near Schaffhausen handling production of MAS-100 instruments. Ensures lean, efficient, and high-quality production chain. All instruments come from Switzerland.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Particle Measuring Systems: Particle Measuring Systems (a Spectris company) is a direct competitor in cleanroom and pharmaceutical environmental monitoring, offering both active microbial air samplers and continuous particle counters widely used in the same Grade A/B environments as MBV's MAS-100 line.
• bioMérieux: bioMérieux is a global microbiology leader whose industrial microbiology portfolio (including the bioBall, TEMPO and GENE-UP lines) serves the same pharmaceutical sterility testing and environmental monitoring customers as MBV, and increasingly competes in rapid microbial detection.
• TSI Incorporated: TSI is a long-established manufacturer of aerosol and particle instrumentation, including active and passive microbial air samplers and cleanroom particle counters, directly overlapping with MAS-100 in pharmaceutical, hospital and research cleanrooms.
• Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions: Lighthouse manufactures airborne particle counters and microbial air samplers for cleanroom monitoring in semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries, competing head-to-head with the MAS-100 portfolio in continuous environmental monitoring.

Broad incumbents

• Sartorius AG: Sartorius is a leading bioprocessing and laboratory equipment supplier whose sterility testing and microbial quality control portfolio serves the same pharmaceutical manufacturers as MBV's cleanroom monitoring instruments.
• Beckman Coulter (Danaher): Beckman Coulter, part of Danaher's life sciences platform, offers microbiology and clinical laboratory instrumentation for pharmaceutical QC and clinical diagnostics customers that overlap with MBV's pharma cleanroom customer base.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher supplies a broad range of laboratory analytical instruments, microbiological media and environmental monitoring services for pharmaceutical and clinical customers, overlapping with MBV in pharma QC tooling.
• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River's microbial solutions and endotoxin testing services serve the same pharmaceutical and biologics manufacturers that purchase MAS-100 air samplers for environmental monitoring in sterile manufacturing.
• EMD Millipore (Merck KGaA Life Science): Merck KGaA's MilliporeSigma is MBV's global distribution partner but also a broad incumbent in pharmaceutical QC, offering its own sterility testing consumables, environmental monitoring plates and validation services that overlap with MBV's installed base.

Emerging players

• Ecolab (Life Sciences division): Ecolab's life sciences business focuses on cleaning, sanitization and contamination control in pharmaceutical and food production, increasingly adjacent to environmental monitoring where MBV's MAS-100 samplers are deployed.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3vLuuteeanNc1wX9OTARDQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mbv-microbialairsampling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 MBV