The enterprise thus founded was a manufacturer of non-ferrous metals with a large portfolio of semi-finished products and alloys. Initially the focus was on copper and brass, but later aluminum, stainless steel and nickel alloys gained importance. The company's headquarters were in Frankfurt am Main for many years, while its production locations included Altena and Werdohl, Duisburg, Cologne, Nuremburg and Frankfurt am Main. The founding of VDM was a preliminary step in trend towards concentration in Germany's semi-finished goods industry that had been hit hard by the global economic crisis. Today, the company – now VDM Metals GmbH – is headquartered in Werdohl and is an internationally leading producer and distributor of nickel, cobalt and zirconium alloys in addition to special alloys.