After almost three decades with MiTek South Africa, Software Development Executive, David Mueller is finally calling time on his years of service with the company. We talked to him about his experiences and the changes he has seen.
For David, one of the biggest areas of change he has seen over the years lies in the sphere of software development.
“Best way to describe it, my dad was an architect and a very well-known one too in our area. And the first time I showed him MiTek’s Mi2000 software, he was blown away,” he explains.
“He said when he was at university and learning this, they had to do all truss designs themselves. It would take them two weeks just to design the trusses for a standard small house. And here we now do it in two minutes flat!”
As the software has become better, speedier and smarter over time, customer expectations have grown, he notes. “They see the improvement and the speed of the whole design process and increasingly want more of the same – just at the touch of a button! And for the new generation of designers and engineers coming into the sector, this is seen as the norm.”
David’s working career began in finishing carpentry, putting up roofs. He then joined a truss plant as a designer for five years before becoming a truss plant manager for another three years.
“And then I joined MiTek – so I’ve been in the construction industry all my life.”
Over the years, David has seen MiTek take on challenges that others have sidestepped.
“For example, nobody else in the world is doing a sheeting take-off for the roof,” he says. “And in the beginning we thought, what a crazy idea. We don’t sell sheets, why would we want to do it? But now we have the ability to provide full sheeting take-off through PAMIR, a fantastic software program. It has made such a big difference to our customers, saving them time and resources.”
He adds: “Working with MiTek has been a great experience. I’ve seen and stayed in 10 different countries during my time here. I’ve seen the world, met up with like-minded people from across MiTek who are very innovative and who’ve helped me broaden my perspective.”
Now that David’s life won’t be ruled by the morning alarm clock, what does he have planned?
“Hiking and appreciating nature, target shooting, and maybe taking up archery. And as I’ve just moved into a new home without even a blade of grass, I’m going to have to become a gardener!”
