around 1880 metzner learned through his family friends that the royal pottery company in hamilton, ohio, was for sale. with a partner he purchased the company, its stock, and kilns, to found the metzner and hatt tile company, and relocated with his family to hamilton. in partnership with jacob louis bieler, an indianapolis brewer, metzner and his sons, otto and max, continued to perfect a technique to produce high quality enameled artistic tile and ceramic glazes. in 1884 metzner and his new partners, dr. theodore wild of chicago, who served with metzner in the military and bought bieler's business interest, and julius bunsen, renamed their company the hamilton tile works. metzner served as the company's vice president for more than ten years. after the company's reorganization in 1897, metzner left it to work for the american encaustic tiling company in zanesville, ohio. in 1900, metzner and his son, max, helped reestablish the c. pardee works, a decorative tile manufacturer in perth amboy, new jersey. the new jersey firm later acquired the grueby faience company of boston.