100th General Meeting of the Association of Plant Managers in the Swiss Clay Brick and Stone Industry (SBZS) at Schwarzsee, Canton of Freiburg

This programme kicked off with a group lunch, followed by a visit to Extramet, a company based in Plaffeien. Here 400 tonnes carbide are produced annually as standard products, such as tubes and rods, as well as shaped parts, e.g. drills. During a tour of the company facility, the production operation from the raw material to dispatch was impressively and competently demonstrated to the participants, who were surprised at the similarities between metal and brick production.

After this tour and a short journey to Schwarzsee Lake, the actual venue of the event, the meeting continued. Although the weather didn’t show itself from its best side, everyone was very impressed with the hotel situated directly on the shores of Schwarzsee Lake and its position nestling in the surrounding mountains.

Key items at the General Meeting included honouring those members celebrating an anniversary, approval of the new issues of the association statutes and, particularly encouraging, the welcoming of six new members.

The group evening dinner was rounded off by musical accompaniment, which also got the attendees up for the odd dance or two, and a solo entertainer. For some the evening together lasted well into the early hours of the morning.

Despite that, at 9 a.m. next morning everyone was wide awake for the chair lift to Riggisalp at an altitude of 1490 m for the group breakfast. Here the weather gods were more kindly so that the participants were able to take breakfast on the patio. The event ended with the descent down the Alp by “trotti” (a type of motocross bike), which several of the participants did not want to miss.

All in all, the event was a resounding success and set the bar for the organization of the next GM.

We wish all participants “Good Firing” and hope to see them again next year.