The reason for the specific competencies of the network is the especially wide range of the industrial metal processing industry with a unique regional concentration of enterprises in the economic region of the Bergisch tri-city area, consisting of the cities Wuppertal, Solingen, Remscheid and the surrounding municipalities. This industrial competence is connected with industry-related research involving research institutes established all over Germany, company-driven training and further education, product testing and certification, and joint supra-regional cluster measures with other competence networks. The objective of FORMETA is to interlink the essential location factor "concentration of competence in the metal processing industry" within the region with research, apprenticeship / training, and industry. The long-term objective is to secure the economic future and the development of the region with a lasting effect. The consequence is the guarantee of employment and the qualification of the next generation. The main focus of the network activities is especially on small and medium-sized enterprises.
The specific field of metalworking and metal processing is represented in the FORMETA network in a comprehensive and at the same time local connection between production, research, apprenticeship, and testing, which is unique in this form.

An important concern of FORMETA is the research and development prior to competition and irrespective of the line of business. In almost 200 cooperation projects, application-oriented solutions were elaborated for the member companies of the network. The FGW (Research Association for Tools and Materials), as a member association of the AIF, supports the competence network actively and takes care of partner acquisition, filing of applications, planning of financing, project realisation, administrative support and reporting. In 2006, there was a budget of over 2 million euros available for cooperative technology development. At present, the network manages more than 30 projects with a total volume of over 13 million euros. The funds brought into the projects by the enterprises themselves amounted to almost 1 million euros in 2006. This shows that the industrial members of the network are actively engaged and play an active part in the research projects.
The following topics have top technological priority:
- machine and manually operated tools and cutting tools
- innovative materials
- intelligent tools with adaptronic structures

FORMETA arranges regular series of seminars and informative meetings for its members. In June 2007, more than 50 high-ranking representatives of science, trade and industry came together at the meeting of the expert committee on residual stresses in Remscheid. During the scientific discourse, new measuring methods and procedures and current problem solutions were discussed. The FORMETA competence network was a co-organiser of the event.
FORMETA was the main organiser of the tool seminar "It's Tool Time". This time, this regularly held series of events dealt with the Equipment and Product Safety Law and its implications. The almost 100 representatives of tool manufacturers and distributors were able to get some first-hand information about the legal requirements and their consequences for everyday business. In further meetings, the results of currently running and recently finished research projects will be disseminated.