In the first twenty years after its founding the GfA was one of many companies specializing in the field of drive technology. Hans Meyer joined GfA as a partner in 1965, bringing with him his plant in Holzheim. In 1974 he devised a new technology which changed the industry forever: The first safety brakes integrated into a gearbox to protect against runaway door closing. It was this patented innovation which made GfA the leading manufacturer of drives for industrial doors.
Here two worm gear drives run in parallel, one of them functioning as a wear-free safety unit. Down to this very day the tandem worm gear drive is inseparably associated with the GfA name. GfA ELEKTROMATEN with built-in safety brakes have been marketed since the 1970s under the readily remembered name "Safe Drive".
A further excellent invention by the GfA is a separate safety brake with a patented damping bar, another idea devised by Hans Meyer. Since the TÜV technical inspectorate did not have the equipment needed to carry out testing on such components in 1975, the GfA developed the test bed, as well.