With a career spanning over three decades, Sakkie Maritz, from MarTek Roofing, has been a pivotal figure in driving innovation and excellence in construction. In a recent interview with MiTek South Africa, Sakkie shared insights about MarTek Roofing’s journey and the benefits his business has reaped using Ultra-Span across a diverse project portfolio…
“We started the company in 1991,” Sakkie recalls, “but it was in 1993 that we established ourselves as a truss factory.” Initially based in Welkom, Free State, MarTek Roofing later moved to Shayandima, Venda, before relocating to a new factory in Polokwane.
Today, the company serves the entire Northern Limpopo area and occasionally undertakes projects in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Over the years, MarTek Roofing has grown significantly, thanks in part to the early adoption of MiTek’s products and services.
As Sakkie puts it: “We’ve grown with MiTek. I’d say partnering with MiTek has been instrumental in our growth. Their products enhance our own capabilities and have given us the ability and confidence to take on more ambitious projects.”
Sakkie’s own role has evolved over time. Although he ‘retired’ in 2020, he continues to tackle special and complex projects for the business, leveraging his architectural background to bridge the gap between architectural vision and engineering requirements.
Embracing Ultra-Span
Sakkie first learned about Ultra-Span through Richard Bailey at MiTek. Initially sceptical about its feasibility, Sakkie quickly became a strong advocate after witnessing its potential.
“We’ve used Ultra-Span since day one. I was cynical at first, but then you start seeing how it works with projects, you sit down with clients and you see how it makes perfect sense.”
“We did remedial works on a shopping mall, for example, where the roof had failed because of the solar panels. With Ultra-Span, we could actually build a new roof inside the mall itself and lift it up to provide support.”
“Nowadays, I’m helping people to see it’s the right choice. I’ve studied architecture as well, so I can have productive conversations with architects. The earlier in the process we have that conversation, the easier it is for people to recognise the benefits.”
A perfect solution for challenging builds and locations
MarTek Roofing’s project portfolio is impressively diverse, ranging from residential homes and garages to large commercial structures like malls. The company also engages in government projects and extensive renovation jobs, particularly those related to integrating solar energy systems.
The MiTek Ultra-Span light gauge steel truss system is an inherently good fit for this diverse workload and Ultra-Span’s versatility and effectiveness is an ideal solution, especially in challenging situations.
Sakkie is quick to list off the benefits: “Ultra-Span is lightweight, easy to transport, handle, and install in the most challenging environments, even without heavy equipment. It’s the expert’s truss of choice for complex roof structures.”
The right materials, supported by best-in-class software
For projects needing lightweight, durable roofing solutions, particularly on logistically difficult sites, Ultra-Span’s benefits only get better with scale.
Ultra-Span can adapt to even the most complex designs. And when combined with MiTek’s PAMIR software, those designs can be communicated faster and easier.
Sakkie can’t sing this software’s praises highly enough: “As soon as we got MiTek’s PAMIR design software integrated with Ultra-Span, it was a game changer. I remember instances where we’ve saved architects days of work with a few clicks of a mouse.”
“With PAMIR, I can take a truss and design it in timber, but if I’m asked to show how it would work with Ultra-Span, it’s three clicks. Being able to visualise it in MiTek 3D design helps us to showcase the benefits of it more easily. I really don’t think we’ll see better software than this anytime soon.”
A lasting partnership with MiTek
For Sakkie and the team at MarTek Roofing, this combination of hardware, software, and industry expertise is unbeatable. The depth, value, and duration of their partnership with MiTek is testament to the kind of results they’ve achieved together.
You can get that same level of excellence for your business. It all starts with a conversation.
To find out more about Ultra-Span and how it can transform your next project, get in touch today, we’d love to hear from you.
