VSL is the national metrology institute of the Netherlands and a partner of the First Dutch family of companies. VSL traces global measurement results directly to international standards.
Metrology, the science of measurement, deals with readings and errors. On behalf of the Dutch government, VSL manages and develops primary measurement standards and reference material. These measurement standards are the first link in the reliability of every measurement in science, industry and fair trade, among others. VSL also participates in research projects to develop new and improved measurement methods.
It is imperative for international trade that we all measure with the same standards worldwide. This is particularly crucial. For example, without metrology, a bolt produced in one country could never fit a nut that had been manufactured by another. Therefore, since 1960, the SI unit system (Système Internationale), or metric system, has been the official basis for measurements to ensure that, nationally and internationally, we all use the same standards.
