VDM Metals
Produces high-alloyed nickel, cobalt, and zirconium metal powders optimized for laser and electron beam additive manufacturing (LPBF, EBM); serves aerospace, medical, chemical process, and industrial applications with 90+ years of materials science expertise.
- CEO / Founder
- Dr. Niclas Müller
- Team Size
- 1001-5000
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $67.0M
- Latest Round
- Venture Round
- Key Investors
- Acerinox Group (Spanish stainless steel major; majority ownership)
Technology & Products
Key Products
VDM® Alloy 718 powder (nickel-chromium superalloy for aerospace); VDM® Alloy 625 powder (corrosion-resistant, high-temperature); VDM® Alloy 825 powder (chemical/oil & gas environments); VDM® Alloy 36 powder; VDM® Alloy X powder (extreme high-temperature); VDM® Special stainless steel powders; VDM® Cobalt alloy powders; VDM® Zirconium powders; Custom powder development services; Semi-finished products (strip, sheet, rod, bar, wire) in high-alloyed materials
Technological Advantage
DEFENSIBLE: Proprietary powder atomization processes (VIGA — Vacuum Inert Gas Atomization plant); deep alloy composition and processing know-how; established relationships with aerospace primes and medical device OEMs; material pedigree (Alloy 718 and Alloy 625 are industry standards); supply chain integration from raw materials to finished powder.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
World-class material consistency, composition control, and sphericity for metal AM powders; deep customer partnerships and custom powder development; proven material properties (Alloy 718, Alloy 625, Alloy 825) certified for critical aerospace/defense applications; reduces component weight while enabling complex geometries.
How They Differentiate
VDM Metals differentiates through: (1) 90-year heritage in high-alloyed materials and proven material science; (2) proprietary VIGA atomization with tight particle size distribution and sphericity control; (3) custom alloy development capability and direct customer partnerships; (4) established aerospace/medical certifications and qualification history; (5) vertically integrated production (raw materials → finished powder) reducing supply chain risk.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace OEMs, medical device manufacturers, industrial 3D printing service providers, energy/chemical process companies
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Medical Devices; Chemical Process Industry; Oil & Gas; Industrial Manufacturing; Energy
Competitors
Carpenter Technology (US; metal powder producer, Latrobe facility); AP&C (Arcam subsidiary; high-purity metal powder for AM); Plasma Atomization Systems (plasma atomization technology provider); Höganäs (Swedish metal powder leader; diversified materials); AMETEK Specialty Metal Products (US; metal powders)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
~2,000 employees worldwide; headquarters and major production in Werdohl, Germany; €30M investment in Siegen facility (recent); €21M investment in strip production capacity (recent); EU-funded R&D programs (€159,375 for ODS material processing for AM; €61,275 for high-temperature alloy development); last published balance sheet total €300M (2020, down 16.1% YoY).
Major Milestones
2015: Dr. Niclas Müller appointed CEO; 2010s–2020s: Scaling metal powder AM business; established as world-leading supplier; Recent: Partnership with Rosswag Engineering (metal 3D printing service provider); Ongoing: €67M Acerinox investment supporting capacity expansion and R&D; EU-funded research on high-temperature alloys for aggressive AM environments
Notable Customers
Major aerospace OEMs (undisclosed but referenced in aerospace material specs); Medical device manufacturers using Alloy 625 and other high-performance materials; Rosswag Engineering (metal 3D printing service partnership); Energy sector (oil & gas, chemical process industries)