From one dedicated family to another: The GRAS story continues
In 2024, it is 30 years since visionary acoustics pioneer, Gunnar Rasmussen, founded Gunnar Rasmussen Acoustic Services – today known as GRAS Sound & Vibration. What has followed since then is a fairy tale story of growth and acoustic achievements, all built on Gunnar Rasmussen’s guiding vision of innovation and customization. Today, GRAS is part of the Axiometrix family of measurement solution providers. But Gunnar’s vision and values still guide the company.
Mr Microphone
The story of GRAS Sound & Vibration is the story of world-class measurement microphones and the strong will and clear vision of its founder, Gunnar Rasmussen. Known throughout the acoustics industry as Mr Microphone, Gunnar Rasmussen is one of the greatest Danish acoustic pioneers, who – for more than 60 years – contributed to the knowledge of sound and vibration with his unique ideas and designs. A pioneer driven by curiosity, the will to challenge the seemingly impossible, and the courage to defy opposition and set his own direction. Values that still resonate throughout GRAS Sound & Vibration today.
Gunnar Rasmussen’s ingenuity and understanding of customer needs led – among other things – to the world’s most popular, and probably most copied acoustic sensor: The 1/2” measurement microphone. Since then, both the 1/4” and 1/8” measurement microphones followed, with excellent dynamic and frequency ranges, bringing high definition and transparency to the field of impulse noise diagnostics.
New markets and industries
Per Rasmussen and Peter Wulf-Andersen took over the responsibility for the family business when Gunnar Rasmussen decided to step down from management. Building upon the legacy of their father, they succeeded in keeping up momentum, adding new expertise, winning new customers, and establishing new markets.
“Peter and I each chose to focus on what interested us, and what we believed we were best at. Peter focused on sales, particularly in Asia, a market he established and expanded. I focused on customer projects and applications,” recalls Per Rasmussen.
It was also during this period that GRAS Sound & Vibration decided to move into the aerospace industry, constructing a small wind tunnel to run experiments in. This enabled GRAS to build new expertise to engage potential new customers with. There is a direct line from this decision to the development of the Ultra-Thin Precision microphones (UTP) and the establishment of long-lasting business relationships with customers like Airbus, Rolls Royce, and Honda.
Under Peter and Per’s watch, GRAS Sound & Vibration grew into a global business with partners and subsidiaries in more than 40 countries. This inevitably brought about the attention of potential buyers, and one in particular was very persistent.
A new, dynamic family emerges
“Battery Ventures wanted to build a new entity within industrial tech and life sciences and saw GRAS as an important piece in that puzzle,” explains Per Rasmussen. “They kept the conversation going, on and off, for 8-10 years, regularly checking in to see how we were doing. Eventually, when they
introduced Audio Precision and what would eventually become Axiometrix Solutions, we could see the synergies aligning for us.”
So, as GRAS celebrates its 30-year jubilee, the formerly Rasmussen family-owned company has become part of the global Axiometrix Solutions family.
“We were very proud of the products, expertise, and experience, we could offer our customers. But this would give us the opportunity to extend our reach and gain broader exposure in the market,” says Per Rasmussen. “In addition, Audio Precision’s products and expertise perfectly complemented ours. As microphone specialists, we deliver part of a measurement setup. With AP, we can deliver the complete solution.”
A strong platform with Axiometrics Solutions
Today, Axiometrics Solutions consists of GRAS, Audio Precision, and imc Test & Measurement. Together, we form a new and dynamic family of like-minded specialists whose competences amplify each other. Audio Precision is a global leader in audio analyzers, offering elite audio analysis and audio measurement software. imc develops and deploys data acquisition systems and testing strategies that enhance test and measurement productivity. And GRAS delivers the world leading microphones that give their products the most accurate measurement input to work with – ultimately maximizing customers’ return on investment by producing unparalleled results.
Working together allows us to leverage the many synergies between our three companies, enabling our customers to sense, measure and analyze all kinds of acoustic, electronic, and mechanical signals. By joining Axiometrix Solutions, GRAS Sound & Vibration has gained a strong platform from which to build towards the future.
But Gunnar’s vision still guides GRAS in everything we do.
