The 80's was, of course, the decade of the personal computer and with technology mushrooming at an unprecedented rate, the natural progression was to move from hand held calculators to desktop PCs -- and this they did. A few months after releasing their first DOS-based programs to the market, they took the leap of faith and started their own business. The rest is history...
PROKON quickly grew in popularity in its native South Africa. Brian Zeederberg came on board in 1992 to open a branch in in the United Kingdom. From that point onward the popularity of the software spread like a wildfire to other parts of the world. Today the software is used by engineers worldwide in over eighty countries.
Microsoft Windows
Windows 95 brought Windows to desktops everywhere. That was also the opportunity for PROKON to shine brighter that ever. Popularity of the software continued to soar in the following years, and so did the number of sales agents and accredited resellers around the word. In 2007 a Canadian branch came to being to better serve the North American market. The PROKON branches currently collectively employ about twenty people, most of which are professional structural engineers.
Over the years PROKON software development has been focused mainly on structural analysis and design. A suite of geotechnical analysis programs was developed in collaboration with ARQ Specialist Engineers in the mid 1990's. The strength of the PROKON suite lies in the simplicity of use and its modular, yet integrated format -- it can can also be used integrally to do most structures from simple single span beams to the full dynamic analysis and design of substantial high rise structures. In addition all the structural elements are catered for in the design process as well as geotechnics. Dollar for dollar PROKON provides arguably the best software application for the structural engineering consultant, contractor, student or academic in today's environment. The software is aimed at the average user, but has the capacity to also cope with major structures with thousands of members. Further more the cost is such that a user can cut his coat according to his cloth as one or fifty programs can be purchased. PROKON also has a rental purchase option allowing the user a low capital outlay for maximum user output.
Autodesk
The South African branch of Prokon Software Consultants became an Autodesk Authorised Value Added Reseller for the Southern Africa region in 2001. This status has since expanded to Autodesk Authorised Training Centre (Southern Africa), and Autodesk Authorised Developer (worldwide). Today, Prokon Software Consultants is one of the largest Autodesk resellers in South Africa.
Industry recognition
The contribution that Prokon Software Consultants has made to the local (South African) engineering and building industry was recognised in 2009 when the company was a chosen as a finalist for the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) awards. The NSTF honours and celebrates outstanding contributions to science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) with annual awards in a number of categories.
Into the future
Recognising the changing nature of the structural engineers' working environment, most notably Building Information Modelling (BIM), recent development efforts have focused on extensions for AutoCAD® Revit® Structure and AutoCAD® (both world leaders in their respective categories). The high level of integration between PROKON modules is now extending externally to AutoCAD® Revit® as well.
Karl Eschberger, Pr.Eng
CEO Prokon South Africa
Jacques Pienaar, Pr.Eng
CTO Prokon South Africa