The VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association) is the spokesman for the German machine tool industry. Together with the Specialized Section Machine Tools and Manufacturing Systems in the VDMA, it has 285 members united in voluntary association. They represent approximately 90 percent of all turnover in the branch.

Since 1920 the VDW has organized trade fairs for machine tool builders and is so-to-speak the founder of the trade fair for production technology. The trademark "A Fair by VDW" stands for highly professional organized fairs such as EMO Hannover since 1977 and METAV Düsseldorf since 1980. Since 2008 the VDW also supports the AMB in Stuttgart.

The EMO Hannover, the world's most important trade fair for metalworking technology, is organized by VDW twice consecutively in the "uneven" years. In the "even" years, VDW organizes the METAV Düsseldorf.