Prokon and Micrographics have entered a unique partnership that would see both companies leverage each other’s expertise, while creating a one-stop-shop for existing and new clients.

Prokon and Micrographics are two engineering stalwarts in the South African engineering and architectural space. Both companies are Autodesk Certified Partners and over the last three decades each has carved a niche in local and international markets. While the former has expanded its business into software development, the latter has become a tech support and training powerhouse.

“Between us we were spending a lot of money on the same piece of the pie, the market we operate in,” says Keith Stewart, Micrographics Managing Director, “it made a lot more sense for us to look at our businesses strategically and operate under a partnership that would benefit both.”

Stewart adds that this partnership also aligns with each company's growth strategy. Micrographics marries their expertise in the manufacturing and architectural space with Prokon's decades of experience in the civil and structural engineering space, ensuring that all their clients now have access to a greater pool of knowledge and support.

“It’s not possible for one business to know everything, it’s part of the reason why we’ve worked so well together in the past,” says Louis Viljoen, Prokon Director. “For me, it’s about focussing on what you are good at, and because there is so little overlap between our businesses, this partnership is a great fit.”

Prokon and Micrographics are confident this partnership will give clients the best of both worlds, while minimising complexities around working with multiple firms.

The transition period for this partnership will be around six to eight months and both companies have ensured that this move will not disrupt day-to-day operations. Staff will not be affected by this move, and both companies are planning to hire new recruits next year as part of their growth strategies.

Prokon and Micrographics’ clients will also not be affected by this partnership, each company will deal with their customers through the same channels as they have done before.

“This move will allow us to knuckle down and focus on what we do best, otherwise you potentially end up diversifying so much that you lose sight of what your core activity is, and you lose technical penetration into the market,” says Stewart. “This is a growth strategy and we’re not doing this to consolidate or rationalise our businesses, we are doing this to increase our market share and let our customers enjoy a better business experience.”