About us
0 +
Years of
Experience
Valve Test bench excellence since 1970
We are here since decades
METRUS is the successor of a company called LS-Mechanik, founded by Mr. Lothar Seer, a former quality manager of the German valve producer Sempell AG. New by then the business idea has not changed by now: “design, development and production of top-quality valve test benches for the industry. Even though our business model is still the same we are proud to call it a “tradition“ after all these years.
Since then, there was plenty of time to master all the challenges set up especially by valve manufactures. Already in 1986, long before computers would appear in industrial production lines, we supplied the first fully automatic shell and leak test bench to complete the production process of a valve manufacturer. Our test bench gallery spans from small mobile service test benches to huge (42t) test stations, controlling pressure from vacuum to 600 bar air or 1600 bar water. There is little left what we have not dealt with so far.
Know-how and expertise of more than 40 years create our inspiration to develop innovative solutions for your individual test bench requirement.
Quality since 1970
Customer happiness in first place
An interesting History
History
-
Over years of test bench construction
With roots leading back into valve design and development, from the very beginning LS-Mechanik had what is essential to build best testing solution – profound engineering knowledge about valves and high pressure.
-
1960At that time, there were no dedicated manufacturers of valve test benches in Germany. The test benches in use had mostly been produced between 1930 and 1945. Growing demand from the power industry for high-pressure testing equipment was met by test benches designed by valve manufacturers themselves.
-
1962At Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell, Lothar Seer develops the first automatic seal head solutions with O-ring sealing, replacing the traditional leather seals for low-pressure tests and copper seals for high-pressure tests up to 650 bar. Initially, these automatic seal heads were adapted to existing clamping units; later, new column/spindle clamping units were designed, offering clamping forces of 30 t, 60 t, 120 t, and even 400 t.
-
1970In cooperation with Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell, Lothar Seer establishes LS-Mechanik Lothar Seer KG. The company focuses on developing, producing, and selling pressure and tightness test benches for valves and pressure vessels, as well as mechanical measuring levers (the mechanical predecessor of online valve testing equipment).
LS-Mechanik also delivers its first pneumatically driven N₂/air boosters and air-driven water pumps for pressures up to 1000 bar. -
1971LS-Mechanik supplies its first type-approved, pilot-operated safety valve (VSG) for high-pressure liquids. Widely used in hydraulic press applications, these valves are known for their outstanding precision, performance, and tightness. Over the following years, numerous special safety valve applications are developed based on the unique VSG design.
-
1975LS-Mechanik supplies compact-design test benches to power plants, chemical facilities, and the oil and gas industry across Europe. The K-Series test benches become the standard solution, widely used in German power stations and chemical plants.
-
1977Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell withdraws from LS-Mechanik, leaving Lothar Seer as the sole owner of LS-Mechanik Lothar Seer KG.
-
1986LS-Mechanik supplies its first fully automatic test benches with electrical pass/fail indication, even before the introduction of computers and PLC systems.
-
1988The company delivers its first fully automatic, computer-controlled test bench for gas and water valves, designed for daily production use at a valve manufacturing facility. LS-Mechanik continues to develop the PA Series, integrating its own valve technology. The PA Series sets a new standard in reliability and accuracy.
-
1990Engineer and MBA Horst Stein joins LS-Mechanik as a shareholder and managing director.
-
1996The first high-pressure test bench with 1000 t clamping force and water test pressure up to 1050 bar is delivered to a leading state-owned industrial company in India, operated in two-shift production.
-
2001METRUS becomes the supplier of standard valve testing software for LS-Mechanik test benches.
-
2007After ten years of successful operation of the 1000 t test bench, LS-Mechanik delivers a new model with 1450 t clamping force and 1200 bar water test pressure to India.
-
2008METRUS and LS-Mechanik merge, with Johannes Junior and Horst Stein becoming managing directors. Founder Lothar Seer retires and continues as an independent consultant for the company.
-
2009METRUS LS-Mechanik provides valve technology and engineering for a 3000 t valve test bench, produced by a partner company.
-
2010The company supplies a 2000 t clamping force, 1600 bar water test pressure test bench to India.
-
2013After more than 20 years as managing director at LS-Mechanik and METRUS, Horst Stein resigns and continues as a consulting engineer. The company is now led by Johannes Junior, supported by ppa Thomas Kamphausen.
-
2019Thomas Kamphausen is appointed as the second managing director alongside Johannes Junior. With many years of experience and deep technical expertise, he strengthens the management team and drives the continued development of METRUS GmbH, reflecting the company’s trust in his leadership and vision.
-
2025Johannes Junior sells the METRUS GmbH to TRIATOS Capital, with Thomas Kamphausen becoming the sole managing director.
-
1960At that time, there were no dedicated manufacturers of valve test benches in Germany. The test benches in use had mostly been produced between 1930 and 1945. Growing demand from the power industry for high-pressure testing equipment was met by test benches designed by valve manufacturers themselves.
-
1962At Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell, Lothar Seer develops the first automatic seal head solutions with O-ring sealing, replacing the traditional leather seals for low-pressure tests and copper seals for high-pressure tests up to 650 bar. Initially, these automatic seal heads were adapted to existing clamping units; later, new column/spindle clamping units were designed, offering clamping forces of 30 t, 60 t, 120 t, and even 400 t.
-
1970In cooperation with Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell, Lothar Seer establishes LS-Mechanik Lothar Seer KG. The company focuses on developing, producing, and selling pressure and tightness test benches for valves and pressure vessels, as well as mechanical measuring levers (the mechanical predecessor of online valve testing equipment).
LS-Mechanik also delivers its first pneumatically driven N₂/air boosters and air-driven water pumps for pressures up to 1000 bar. -
1971LS-Mechanik supplies its first type-approved, pilot-operated safety valve (VSG) for high-pressure liquids. Widely used in hydraulic press applications, these valves are known for their outstanding precision, performance, and tightness. Over the following years, numerous special safety valve applications are developed based on the unique VSG design.
-
1975LS-Mechanik supplies compact-design test benches to power plants, chemical facilities, and the oil and gas industry across Europe. The K-Series test benches become the standard solution, widely used in German power stations and chemical plants.
-
1977Rheinische Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A. Sempell withdraws from LS-Mechanik, leaving Lothar Seer as the sole owner of LS-Mechanik Lothar Seer KG.
-
1986LS-Mechanik supplies its first fully automatic test benches with electrical pass/fail indication, even before the introduction of computers and PLC systems.
-
1988The company delivers its first fully automatic, computer-controlled test bench for gas and water valves, designed for daily production use at a valve manufacturing facility. LS-Mechanik continues to develop the PA Series, integrating its own valve technology. The PA Series sets a new standard in reliability and accuracy.
-
1990Engineer and MBA Horst Stein joins LS-Mechanik as a shareholder and managing director.
-
1996The first high-pressure test bench with 1000 t clamping force and water test pressure up to 1050 bar is delivered to a leading state-owned industrial company in India, operated in two-shift production.
-
2001METRUS becomes the supplier of standard valve testing software for LS-Mechanik test benches.
-
2007After ten years of successful operation of the 1000 t test bench, LS-Mechanik delivers a new model with 1450 t clamping force and 1200 bar water test pressure to India.
-
2008METRUS and LS-Mechanik merge, with Johannes Junior and Horst Stein becoming managing directors. Founder Lothar Seer retires and continues as an independent consultant for the company.
-
2009METRUS LS-Mechanik provides valve technology and engineering for a 3000 t valve test bench, produced by a partner company.
-
2010The company supplies a 2000 t clamping force, 1600 bar water test pressure test bench to India.
-
2013After more than 20 years as managing director at LS-Mechanik and METRUS, Horst Stein resigns and continues as a consulting engineer. The company is now led by Johannes Junior, supported by ppa Thomas Kamphausen.
-
2019Thomas Kamphausen is appointed as the second managing director alongside Johannes Junior. With many years of experience and deep technical expertise, he strengthens the management team and drives the continued development of METRUS GmbH, reflecting the company’s trust in his leadership and vision.
-
2025Johannes Junior sells the METRUS GmbH to TRIATOS Capital, with Thomas Kamphausen becoming the sole managing director.
Exhibitions
You can find us at
the following exhibitions
What our customers say
Testimonials
“Wir haben derzeit 5 Prüfstände in verschiedenen Ausführungen und Größen im Einsatz. Dank dieser technisch Hochwertigen Prüfständen sind wir in der Lage, einwandfreie und geprüfte Armaturen an unsere Kunden auszuliefern. Insbesondere der technische Service bei Wartungen oder Änderungswünschen ist optimal: Hier merkt man schnell die Leidenschaft des METRUS Teams. Wir haben uns seinerzeit bewusst für einen lokalen Anbieter entschieden und bereuen diese Entscheidung zu keinem Zeitpunkt!”
i.V. Mark Bender, Leiter Qualitätssicherung, AVA Gruppe
Ratingen, Deutschland“The products of METRUS are highly reliable, and your superb after-sales support truly makes a difference.The Metrus team is professional, responsive, and solution-oriented, making it easy to achieve our goals together.”
Jacob Joy, General Manager, Allied Oil & Gas Service LLC
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman“Since 2018, we have been the proud users of: METRUS test bench type SV50/400, METRUS test bench type CSV50/200, METRUS test bench type Teson II, METRUS test bench type VTM, METRUS test bench type SVM20/400. It is a true pleasure to work with METRUS equipment that meets our requirements 100%. The METRUS customer service maintains our test benches with great professionalism. Many thanks to the METRUS team for the excellent and absolutely seamless cooperation over the past eight years. We wish our partner continued success!”
Mark Lennertz, Company Administrator, GMSI
Baillonville, Belgium“The collaboration with your team has been highly professional and efficient. The SVM 4/100C test bench was delivered within the confirmed timeframe, and Mr. Kamphausen’s hands-on training allowed us to integrate the system quickly into our workflow. The bench provides the precision and reliability we need to ensure the highest quality standards in our valve testing.”
Ms. Filiz White, CEO, Goetze
USA“Die Zusammenarbeit mit der METRUS ist immer sehr professionell und auf Augenhöhe. Die Produkte sind qualitativ hochwertig und erfüllen die benötigten Anforderungen. Wir haben mehrere Sonderlösungen von METRUS im Einsatz und sind sehr zufrieden damit. Ich arbeite immer gern mit der METRUS zusammen.”
Markus Arnold, Technischer Betriebsleiter, Goetze
Deutschland“Die Zusammenarbeit mit METRUS ist durchweg sehr positiv. Das Team arbeitet äußerst zuverlässig, lösungsorientiert und professionell, und die Produkte haben uns spürbar dabei geholfen, unsere Prozesse effizienter und strukturierter zu gestalten. Wir fühlen uns fachlich wie menschlich sehr gut betreut.”
i.A. Heinrich Thielmann Stellv, Leitung Montage, Hora
Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock, Deutschland“Mit der METRUS GmbH als Partner haben wir unsere Armaturenwerkstatt Schritt für Schritt ausgebaut. Jedes Jahr erweitern wir unser Dienstleistungsportfolio – nicht zuletzt dank der Unterstützung von Herrn Kamphausen und seinem Team. Die Prüfstände halten, was sie versprechen und bilden eine wichtige Grundlage, um unseren Kunden die besten Ergebnisse liefern zu können.”
Christian Ziemer, Infraserv Höchst Prozesstechnik GmbH Industriepark Höchst
Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland“Metrus Valve Test Bench has enabled us to venture into market especially for valve service provider to help standardize test procedures and reduce testing time while maintaining high quality standards. Particularly CRS can be automatically recorded without manual intervention provides full traceability for each and every valve test. We truly enjoy working with your team, which has always been professional, responsive, considerate, and solution-oriented, making our collaboration seamless. Our partnership with Metrus has strengthened ISI Control’s business capabilities, empowering us to expand our reach and achieve significant growth in the market. The support from Metrus for our OGA (Oil & Gas) trade show was excellent. The personal presence of the team, especially Mr. Thomas Kamphausen, created a high level of trust and confidence throughout the exhibition. This support played a key role in making the show truly meaningful and successful.”
Cheema, ISI Control Sdn Bhd, General Manager
Selangor, Malaysia“Unser letztes Prüfanlagenprojekt wurde von Metrus GmbH technisch kompetent und zeitgerecht umgesetzt. Anlaufschwierigkeiten wurden wie vereinbart behoben, wobei wir hier Hrn. Haas mit seiner Lösungskompetenz und Einsatzbereitschaft gerne hervorheben möchten.”
Dipl. Ing. Dr. techn. Dolezal Mark, NPI Manager, KLINGER Fluid Control GmbH
Gumpoldskirchen, Österreich“Die enge Abstimmung und das entgegengebrachte Verständnis für unsere Sonderwünsche während der Planung wissen wir sehr zu schätzen. Die gelieferten Armaturenprüfstände überzeugen täglich bei unserer Prüftätigkeit durch gleichbleibend hohe Qualität und entsprechen zuverlässig den vereinbarten Spezifikationen. Die METRUS-Serviceleistungen werden termingerecht und in hoher Qualität erbracht.”
i.V. Mario Grzechatz, Leiter Qualitätsmanagement, KÜHME Armaturen GmbH
Bochum, Deutschland“For nearly 12 months, the METRUS SV 20/200 test bench has been in operation at the LESER Polska service workshop in Batorowo, Poland. During this period, more than 100 safety valves have been successfully tested, approved by external UDT inspectors, and released for use both in the Polish market and internationally. The introduction of the METRUS SV 20/200 has significantly expanded our in house testing capabilities. With the current configuration, we are able to perform tests up to 200 bar with air and up to 400 bar with liquid. This enables us to guarantee valve repair and maintenance services within 24 hours for our customers—a service level highly valued in the market. Overall, choosing METRUS proved to be the optimal solution for us. It aligns with LESER’s global standards for workshop equipment, and our technicians appreciate working with modern, high quality, and safe tools.”
Brygida Rudzińska, Sales, LESER Polska Sp. z o.o.
Poland“Der METRUS MPU600 hat bei unseren Ventilprüfungen mit dem Prüfmedium Wasser die Handprüfpumpen und eine elektrische Plunger-Pumpe fast komplett ersetzt. Auch die spezielle Anpassung der Gasseite des MPU600 an unsere Prüfbedürfnisse bei Druckluft und Stickstoff war kein Problem, und wir wurden dabei stets gut beraten und unterstützt.”
Daniel Tesmer, Team Leader Quality Assurance, Mankenberg GmbH
Lübeck , Deutschland“Working with METRUS GmbH has been a consistently positive experience for Proserv Norge AS through many years. Their clamping tables and accessories are a key component of Proserv Norge AS valve test benches, enabling fast, secure, and repeatable setups while significantly reducing assembly time and improving operational safety. Collaboration with the METRUS team is always professional and solution-oriented — Proserv Norge AS particularly appreciates their technical expertise, quick response times, and reliable support when customizing solutions for specific testing requirements.”
Frode Botne Supply Chain, Logistics & Warehouse Manager, Proserv Norge AS
Norway“Working with Metrus over the last four years has enabled us to deliver high-quality turnkey packages to our clients. The equipment and support provided are second to none, and the partnership has been a key factor in the success of our projects. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and delivering even greater value across Ireland. ”
Thomas Tattersall, Director of Technical ServicesIreland, SCRI-IS Technologies Ltd
Dublin, Ireland“Die Zusammenarbeit mit Metrus war von Anfang an sehr angenehm und professionell. Trotz unserer speziellen Anforderungen wurden wir hervorragend beraten, und bei Fragen erhalten wir stets sehr schnell eine fundierte und ausführliche Rückmeldung. Der Prüfstand funktioniert einwandfrei, und wir sind mit dem gesamten Setup äußerst zufrieden.”
Michael Hettegger, CEO and Co-Founder, Senseven GmbH
Austria“Der neue, auf unsere Anforderungen zugeschnittene Prüfplatz CSV 50/200 von Metrus stellt für uns einen deutlichen Mehrwert dar. Durch die hoch ergonomische Bedienung per Fuss-Schalter sowie die flexible Prüfung mit Gas bis 10 bar und Wasser bis 600 bar können wir Armaturen bis DN 200 effizient und sicher prüfen. Besonders überzeugt uns die präzise Leckage-Messung über Flowmeter, automatischen Blasenzähler oder Rotometer. Die individualisierten Prüfprotokolle runden das System ab und sorgen für eine professionelle und nachvollziehbare Dokumentation.”
Thomas Tilke, von Rohr Armaturen AG, Head of Workshop
Switzerland“I’m pleased to provide our feedback as a long-term user in China, which has 9 units of your test benches since 19 years ago. For almost 19 years, we have steadily expanded our fleet of Metrus test benches to 9 units in our whole company in China. Their quality has proven to be consistently stable and reliable, forming a solid foundation for our operations. Although Metrus does not have a local service team in China, support has always been excellent. Every time we have problems, your team has provided prompt, first-rate responses to us. Let me feel that, the Metrus team is not far away from us. Their professionalism truly embodies the precision, thoroughness and high standards associated with Made in Germany. We value our long-term collaboration and look forward to many more years of successful partnership. ”
Feng ZHAO, Supervisor of Assembly, SAMSON Controls Co. Ltd.
China“Die SAMSON AG hat bereits seit Jahren zahlreiche Metrus Ventilprüfstände weltweit im Einsatz, die stets zuverlässig und präzise messen. Die Zusammenarbeit mit unserem langjährigen Partner Metrus verläuft stets zuverlässig und vertrauensvoll. Wir schätzen sehr die hohe Qualität der gelieferten Ventilprüfstände und die offene, konstruktive Kommunikation mit dem sehr kompetenten Metrus Team. Diese Kombination trägt maßgeblich dazu bei, unsere hohen Anforderungen in der täglichen Praxis sicher zu erfüllen.”
Dr. Jürgen Zipprian, Modular Systems and Solutions, SAMSON AG
Deutschland“The test bench delivers exceptional performance, providing highly reliable and accurate test results that meet global standards. Designed for efficiency, it also enables us to generate professional test reports customized to our required format. Our collaboration with the supplier team has been outstanding. Their rapid support and highly efficient problem solving capabilities ensure that any issues are resolved promptly, enabling smooth and uninterrupted operations.”
Jakkapong Khempetch, Service Department Manager, SAMSON CONTROLS LTD
Thailand“The quality of the equipment and service provided by METRUS reaches a level of excellence that is difficult to match. In addition, the trouble-free commissioning of their equipment is another reason to choose METRUS. In our opinion, the entire METRUS team is focused on resolving any queries and concerns that arise. In addition, the staff is multilingual, which helps to resolve different issues quickly and efficiently. Their personal and friendly service is a plus. All of our business and personal experiences have been completely satisfactory. We can only give Metrus and its entire team top marks.”
José Ramón Damborenea, Director General, Kalmia, S.A.
Spain“We've had a great experience working with Metrus. Their products have met our expectations, and their team's attention to detail has been impressive. Our end user (Shell) has provided very positive feedback on the Valve test bench we purchased from Metrus, and we're eager to place more orders soon. We're looking forward to continuing our partnership and exploring more opportunities.”
Osazuwa Asemota, Director, Fragua E & P Limited
Nigeria“Despite being a smaller customer of METRUS, I have always been made to feel highly valued. Over 10 years of working together, our communication has been regular and consistently positive. METRUS is always on hand to provide support and guidance, no matter how small the issue. Honesty and integrity are words that truly describe Thomas and his team.”
Andrew Macdonald, Managing Director, Boiler & Valve Engineering ltd
Scotland“Für unsere großformatigen Absperrklappen benötigten wir eine Prüflösung, die sowohl enorme Spannkräfte als auch höchste Präzision vereint. METRUS hat uns mit dem BV 80/500 einen individuell auf unsere Produkte zugeschnittenen Prüfstand realisiert. Die 80 Tonnen Spannkraft ermöglichen uns eine sichere und reproduzierbare Fixierung sämtlicher Nennweiten. Besonders beeindruckt sind wir von der Geschwindigkeit und Genauigkeit, mit der unsere Absperrklappen nun getestet werden können. Der Prüfstand hat unsere Abläufe deutlich effizienter und zuverlässiger gemacht”
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Reusch, Geschäftsleiter, Warex Valve GmbH
DeutschlandRichard-Lucas-Str. 6
41812 Erkelenz
Germany
