Since 1974, the VDZ (German Cement Association) section concerned with safety in the workplace organizes a competition every year to reward the plants registering the lowest possible number of accidents.
This competition is designed to encourage cement factory employees to raise their level of safety-consciousness during work. For the 2009 awards, the VDZ selected seven cement factories, including the "Fortuna" plant in Geseke (North Rhine-Westphalia).
In fact, this is the eleventh time that the Geseke plant records a “zero rate” of accidents in the workplace over the last twenty years. As recognition for this outstanding result, the VDZ awarded the plant’s production manager, Theodor Grosse-Frie, with the 2009 gold plaque which will be presented to the employees at the next company meeting.