Case study:
A S & F Access Scaffolding & Formwork
How AS&F Scaffold Produced Bids in 95% Less Time with Avontus Designer
When you divide the cost of Avontus Designer by how many projects you’re doing, it pays for itself and saves us a lot of time.
Warwick Honeywill, Sales Director, A S and F
Company Overview
Founded in 2017, A S and F Access Scaffolding and Formwork have become a trusted provider of industry solutions in South Africa. With a leadership team boasting over 50 years of combined experience in scaffolding, formwork, project management, and safety management, the company has played a key role in major construction, industrial, mining, power, and petrochemical projects. Committed to maintaining the highest safety standards, A S and F deliver innovative and efficient access solutions while upholding core values of teamwork, service excellence, honesty, integrity, and continuous professional growth.
We sat down with Warwick Honeywill, A S and F’s Sales Director and primary scaffold designer, to discuss his experience using Avontus Designer®.
The Challenge
Before using Avontus Designer, Warwick faced significant challenges in his role at a prior scaffolding company. One of the biggest obstacles was the inability to quickly generate designs needed to place bids on new projects. Without an in-house design team, Warwick had to rely on outsourced designers, a process that could take weeks.
“I would try to find (an outside scaffold designer) who is, number one, cost effective, and number two, has time. That wasn’t always convenient because our clients wanted things now,” Warwick said.
This delay often resulted in missed bidding opportunities, as tight deadlines made it impossible to submit proposals on time. Additionally, outsourcing was costly, and unpredictable turnaround times led to inefficiencies in project planning. As safety regulations in South Africa became stricter, requiring detailed scaffolding drawings for every job, the need for a faster, more reliable design solution became critical.
The Search for a Solution
With no experience in AutoCAD and thus a need for a user-friendly alternative, Warwick turned to online research. He discovered Avontus Designer and was immediately impressed by its capabilities.
“I came across (the software), had a look at it and thought, I can certainly do this. It makes a lot more sense to me than AutoCAD,” Warwick said about Avontus Designer.
After a demonstration of the software, he realized it was the ideal solution to streamline his work. When he left his former company and joined A S and F, he quickly convinced his new business partner to adopt Avontus Designer, recognizing the immense benefits it could bring to their operations.
The Transition Process
Adopting Avontus Designer was simple. The software provides an intuitive interface that allows Warwick to create professional, detailed scaffolding designs without the complexity of AutoCAD. Within a short period, A S and F were able to generate drawings in-house, eliminating the need for outsourcing and reducing turnaround times exponentially.
I love Designer. It’s brilliant. I didn’t study this stuff, I wasn’t an engineer or designer. I went to night school to study admin and management. And by sheer luck, I got into construction. I promise you, for a layperson and somebody who doesn’t need to know all the bits and pieces, this is a really cool tool.
Warwick Honeywill, Sales Director, A S and F
The Impact
Since adopting Avontus Designer, A S and F have completely transformed their design workflow. Previously, outsourcing designs took an average of six days. Now, with Avontus Designer, they can complete them in-house within just a few hours, enabling them to meet bidding deadlines with ease and ensuring they never miss valuable opportunities. The ability to generate professional, detailed designs in-house has drastically improved their efficiency and responsiveness. As a result, they have won more bids and strengthened their reputation in the industry. Avontus Designer has also enhanced their ability to meet strict regulatory requirements in South Africa, further solidifying their position as a trusted scaffolding provider.
Beyond traditional scaffolding designs, A S and F have leveraged Avontus Designer for specialized projects, such as a remodel of the Ford Motor Company Plant and an advertising scaffold along a busy South African motor way. The ability to efficiently produce designs for complex structures has opened new business opportunities and expanded their capabilities.
Key Benefits Realized
- Significant Time Savings: Achieved an estimated 95% time reduction in generating scaffold designs.
- Cost Efficiency: Eliminated the need for expensive outsourced design work.
- Improved Compliance: Easily met South Africa’s updated safety regulations.
- Enhanced Project Capabilities: Streamlined the process of designing complex structures.
- User-Friendly Interface: With no prior AutoCAD experience required, Avontus Designer enables users to create detailed scaffolding designs with ease.
Before Avontus Designer, scaffold designs could take me up to six days relying on outsourced help. Now, I can complete them in just a few hours. It’s easily saved me 95% of the time, allowing us to bid faster, win more projects, and keep everything in-house.
Warwick Honeywill, Sales Director, A S and F
Final Thoughts
A S and F have seen remarkable improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and overall business operations, thanks to Avontus Designer. Warwick, the primary user at A S and F, expressed his satisfaction with the software, stating that it has become an essential tool in their daily operations. From meeting regulatory requirements to expanding their service offerings, Avontus Designer has empowered A S and F to take their business to the next level.
