What Measurement Standards Laboratory does

Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand (MSL) is the country's national metrology institute, established in 1992 and operating as a Business Unit of Callaghan Innovation, a Crown agency under the Measurement Standards Act 1992 and Callaghan Innovation Act 2012. MSL's primary mandate is to provide measurement standards traceable to the International System of Units (SI), making it the only source of traceable calibration within New Zealand. The laboratory serves government agencies, accredited calibration and testing laboratories, and industrial/commercial sectors including aerospace, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and scientific research, with named customers such as Air New Zealand, the NZ Police Calibration Unit, MBIE/Trading Standards, RF Test Solutions, and the world's leading telescope manufacturers.

MSL's technical core spans seven measurement domains: temperature and humidity, pressure, mass, length/dimensional, electrical, time/frequency, and light. Its flagship capability is the Kiwi Kibble Balance — one of approximately ten Kibble balances globally and the only one using twin pressure balances with a differential pressure sensor as force comparator — which enables realization of the kilogram based on the Planck constant following the 2019 SI redefinition. The laboratory also maintains three caesium atomic clocks delivering UTC(MSL) (accurate to within one second over 30,000 years), operates the first national coordinate metrology facility in the Southern Hemisphere with a Mitutoyo Legex 574 (0.28 µm accuracy) and a Hexagon Global S Green 12.22.10 CMM, and houses the MSL NTP Stratum 1 server and the public talking clock service.

The business model combines government appropriations (as a Crown entity) with commercial calibration services, training workshops, and technical consultancy delivered on a consultative, relationship-based sales motion. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are quoted per engagement. ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation by IANZ and CIPM MRA signatory status enable mutual recognition of calibration certificates across 100+ international markets. MSL distributes services directly from its Gracefield Innovation Quarter headquarters in Lower Hutt (with training also held in Auckland), reaching only the New Zealand domestic market. The organization employs 35–40 scientists, technicians, and engineers and is currently preparing to transfer to Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) following the disestablishment of Callaghan Innovation.

Name

Measurement Standards Laboratory

Legal name

Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand

Website

https://measurement.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand is the country's national metrology institute, providing SI-traceable calibration services, measurement training, and consultancy to government agencies, accredited laboratories, and industrial sectors including aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metrology and Calibration Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL), Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC), Metering, Calibration & Flow Measurement Verification (EUAEAHAM)

Keywords

• National metrology institute
• Accredited calibration services
• Measurement standards
• SI traceability
• Technical metrology consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Lower Hutt

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Calibration Services: Accredited calibration services for temperature, humidity, pressure, mass, length, electrical, time, and light measurements. Services provided to industry, government, and academic institutions requiring traceable measurement standards.
2. Training and Workshops: Measurement training courses including hands-on experience covering: Balances and Weighing, Humidity and Moisture Calibration, Measurement Uncertainty and Calibration, Temperature Measurement and Calibration, Infrared Radiation Thermometry, Pressure Calibration, and Spectrophotometer Calibration.
3. Government Funding: MSL is a Business Unit of Callaghan Innovation, a Crown agency, funded through government appropriations for maintaining national measurement standards infrastructure.
4. Consultancy Services: Technical consultancy for measurement challenges across various industries including aerospace, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and climate science.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MSL operates as New Zealand's national metrology institute, providing accredited measurement standards and calibration services traceable to the International System of Units (SI). The institute delivers ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services across temperature, humidity, pressure, mass, length, electrical, time, and light measurements to industry, government agencies, and academic institutions. Supporting offerings include proficiency testing programmes, hands-on measurement training workshops, and technical consultancy for measurement challenges in regulated industries.

Product overview

The Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand operates as the country's national metrology institute, providing a comprehensive suite of measurement standards and calibration services. The core offering consists of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services across seven domains: Temperature and Humidity, Pressure, Time Standards, Light, Length and Dimensional, Mass Quantities, and Electrical. Supporting services include the MSL NTP Server for time synchronization, the Talking Clock service for public time dissemination, and a Proficiency Testing Programme for inter-laboratory comparisons. MSL also delivers hands-on measurement training workshops and technical consultancy services. The laboratory houses specialized research equipment including the Kiwi Kibble Balance for realizing the kilogram unit, and operates a national coordinate measurement facility with high-precision CMMs. All services maintain traceability to the International System of Units (SI).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Calibration Services ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services for measurement standards across Temperature and Humidity, Pressure, Time Standards, Light, Length and Dimensional, Mass Quantities, and Electrical measurements. Provided to industry, government, and academic institutions requiring traceable measurement standards.
• Talking Clock Service Public talking clock service via Spark 0800 MSLTIME (0800 675846) providing time announcements followed by three pips of 1000 Hz tone, with the start of the third pip marking the announced time. Available to the general public for time verification and stopwatch calibration.
• MSL NTP Server Network Time Protocol (NTP) Stratum 1 servers synchronized with New Zealand's official time standard (UTC(MSL)) based on caesium atomic clocks. Available for connections within New Zealand via pool.msltime.measurement.govt.nz or IP address 161.65.172.9. Used by organizations requiring precise time synchronization.
• Measurement Training Courses Hands-on training workshops covering Balances and Weighing, Humidity and Moisture Calibration, Measurement Uncertainty and Calibration, Temperature Measurement and Calibration, Infrared Radiation Thermometry, Pressure Calibration, and Spectrophotometer Calibration. Delivered at Gracefield Innovation Quarter (Lower Hutt) and JetPark (Auckland).
• Proficiency Testing Programme Inter-laboratory comparison programmes for calibration and testing laboratories covering Piston Pipettes, Hand-held Radiation Thermometer, Relative humidity hygrometer, Benchtop Spectrophotometer, 6.5 Digit Digital Multimeter, Current Transformer, Micrometers, Balance Calibration, and Directing-Reading Platinum Resistance Thermometer.
• Consultancy Services Technical consultancy services for measurement challenges across various industries including aerospace, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, food/beverage, electronics, and climate science. Includes case studies on quantum metrology, climate measurement, and electrical standards applications.
• Kiwi Kibble Balance A super-precise weight-measuring instrument for realizing the kilogram after the SI redefinition. Unique design using twin pressure balances with differential pressure sensor as force comparator, making it simpler and smaller than other Kibble balances worldwide. One of only ~10 Kibble balances globally and the only one of its kind.
• Coordinate Measurement Facility National centre for coordinate metrology featuring two coordinate measuring machines (CMMs): Mitutoyo Legex 574 (small-volume ultra-high accuracy) and Hexagon Global S Green 12.22.10 (large-volume measurement capability). First national coordinate metrology facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.4 billion in export premiums contributed through accreditation system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025MSL is preparing to transfer to Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ), a new Public Research Organisation formed through the merger of NIWA and GNS Science. MetService will also transfer to ESNZ. This represents a major organizational restructuring as part of broader reforms to the science, innovation, and technology system.
• International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSL calibration services are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by IANZ. MSL has a memorandum of understanding with IANZ to advise on all matters related to measurement traceability.
• Metrology Society of Australasia (MSA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts World Metrology Day celebrations with MSL. MSA networking hour included in WMD events. MSA Emerging Metrologist Award presented at WMD celebrations.
• Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSL's Dr Annette Koo set to become BIPM Director. BIPM is home to Le Grand K, the International Prototype Kilogram. MSL participates in international comparisons of mass standards.
• National Measurement Institute Australia (NMIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand and Australia have confirmed cooperative metrology relationship through bilateral arrangement for measurement standards collaboration.
• Callaghan InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSL is a Business Unit of Callaghan Innovation, a Crown agency. Currently being disestablished as part of science system reforms, with MSL transferring to ESNZ.
• Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSL is a founding member of APMP. APMP brings together national metrology institutes in the region and implements CIPM MRA processes.
• Quantum Technologies AotearoaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSL received funding through Quantum Technologies Aotearoa for UK-NZ collaboration on seismic sensing research.
• Robinson Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on ion thrusters research and HyLink demonstrator project.
• Victoria University of WellingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhD scholarship partnership for applicants with Physics or Engineering backgrounds to complete PhD in Metrology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• METAS (Federal Institute of Metrology, Switzerland): Switzerland's national metrology institute, comparable in size and scope to MSL. Provides similar accredited calibration services under the SI framework with CIPM MRA signatory status.
• National Research Council Canada (NRC): Canada's national metrology institute providing traceable calibration and measurement standards. Comparable as a smaller-economy NMI with similar geographic concentration in a single country and government funding model.
• Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB): Germany's national metrology institute, operating a similar government-funded NMI model with comprehensive SI-traceable calibration services across measurement domains. Among the world's most advanced NMIs.
• National Physical Laboratory (NPL): UK's national metrology institute — comparable in mandate as a government-funded NMI providing traceable calibration across similar measurement domains. Although larger, NPL represents the same NMI operating model MSL follows.
• National Measurement Institute Australia (NMIA): Australia's national metrology institute, operating as a direct peer with similar mandate, scope, and capabilities. MSL has a confirmed bilateral cooperation arrangement with NMIA, making them the most directly comparable sister institute.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): US national metrology institute, the global benchmark for national measurement standards. Operates a similar NMI mandate covering mass, time, length, electrical, and temperature standards with CIPM MRA participation.

Emerging players

• Transcat: Commercial calibration and measurement services company serving regulated industries. Comparable as a private-sector provider of accredited calibration services competing in the secondary calibration market adjacent to MSL's primary standards mandate.
• Trescal: Global commercial calibration services provider with operations across multiple measurement domains. While not a direct NMI, Trescal is a market-comparable commercial peer providing accredited calibration in many of the same domains MSL serves.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM): The international coordination body for global metrology, home to Le Grand K. MSL participates in BIPM comparisons and its former director (Annette Koo) is set to lead BIPM, making it the apex entity in MSL's peer network.

Regional players

• Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS): South Korea's national metrology institute, a fellow APMP member alongside MSL. Provides comparable NMI services in the Asia-Pacific region with similar accredited calibration scope and CIPM MRA participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/measurement-standards-laboratory-of-new-zealand

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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