The history of METU

Although the METU history could be traced back to 1928, when Karl Meinig became independent, it actually started right after the war in 1945.

At that time Karl practically started from scratch as he opened a small handicraft business offering sheet metal products. His venture was successful and soon the name METU (MEINIG TUTTLINGEN) was created. Ten years later adverse market conditions forced him back to square one. 

In 1955 his son, Manfred Meinig, joined the company. That same year a comeback was also made possible as METU became a supplier of metal components for a larger HVAC company.

The business grew fast thanks to hard work, a solid sheet metal forming experience and good ideas. As a result, within 6 years the company had to move to new, larger premises in Weilheim.

1965 was marked by a construction boom requiring larger amounts of rectangular ductwork. Father and son recognized the chance to improve the somewhat archaic ductwork construction methods and, in 1968, come up with the revolutionary 4-Bolt connection system which became, in the meantime, a worldwide recognized standard. 

A major mistake was however made during market introduction, as the demand for this new connection system was underestimated and the 4-Bolt system only offered with METU ductwork, instead of making it available to the entire market. As a consequence the first copy of the 4-Bolt system already appeared in 1970. 

After correcting this initial mistake and by making the 4-Bolt system available to the entire market the yearly turnovers doubled for several years consecutively. Success was finally the order of the day.

This pivotal event was the starting point of further innovations allowing more efficient ductwork construction and installation methods.

In 1971, for instance, the oval access doors with two knobs were introduced, and n 1974 the first rectangular duct-line with formed on flanges was developed.

In 1984 METU’s innovative efforts concentrated on the circular ducts leading to the development of flanges allowing the reinforcing and assembling of light gage ducts from 80 to 3000 mm Ø using only one bolt.

One of the company’s characteristics is that the special tools and machines necessary for the manufacture of the above products were all designed and built internally.

As the product manufacturing, the development activities and the building of machines stretched the company’s capacities, it has been decided in 1985 to discontinue the production of the rectangular ducts, which have been the initiator of many ideas.

METU became then an industry supplier offering a complete range of innovative components for the efficient manufacture of HVAC ventilation ductwork. The products were successful and exported worldwide.

In 1992 METU entered into the third generation as Jochen Meinig, Annette Meinig-Theodossiou and son-in-law Stavros Theodossiou joined the company and took over, with the creation of METU Meinig AG in 2003, the company’s activities.

The research and development efforts never lost momentum and, after many years of sustained efforts, a new product family, the METU-FORM, has been presented. It consists of a new system of circular ducts and fittings being able to fulfill the industry’s higher requirements as far as tightness, inner smoothness, stability and quality are concerned. Such ducts come into play as soon as the spirally wound ducts reach their limits.