By Eamonn Ryan
As local manufacturing becomes increasingly vital to the HVAC&R industry, companies like Ductshop, a division of BUTEC South Africa, are standing out – not just for their scale, but for their responsiveness, capability and technical excellence.
Ductshop outside view. All images supplied by Ductshop
Based in Gauteng, Ductshop is constantly improving its standards of sheet metal fabrication for HVAC systems, delivering round and square ducting solutions tailored to demanding commercial, industrial and cross- border projects.
Ductshop operates as a full-scale fabrication facility, with core product lines including round and square ducting in galvanised, stainless and black steel. “We don’t just manufacture ducts, we fabricate full sheet metal frameworks. From chemical extraction ducting to MEP installations, we cover a broad scope,” says Garnet Viljoen, Ductshop manager.
Recently, the facility invested in state-of-the-art laser cutting and welding machines, drastically reducing production times and expanding their capabilities.
“With our laser cutting, productivity has more than doubled. We’ve seen cutting speeds jump from five meters per minute with traditional plasma machines to 17 meters per minute using laser. Furthermore, the edge quality is significantly better,” explains Viljoen.
The factory’s flagship square ducting machine, the Auto Duct Line, is a prime example of manufacturing efficiency. “It handles four different coil sizes simultaneously: feeding, cutting, notching, beading and flanging all in one continuous process. At the end of the line, it even auto-bends the ducting. The result is fast, precise, high-quality ductwork with minimal human intervention.”
For round ducting, the facility manufactures diameters from 100mm up to 1.4 metres, along with smooth piping and all associated fittings, delivering both internal and external installations as needed.
From HVAC to full MEP solutions
While HVAC remains a key offering, Ductshop and its parent company BUTEC South Africa have expanded their footprint. “We’ve grown into a full MEP contractor – mechanical, electrical and piping,” says Leonard Harmse, installations director at BUTEC SA. “Whether it’s turnkey installations or sheet metal fabrication, we support projects from design to commissioning.”
The factory employs 24 skilled staff, including qualified welders, machinists and a dedicated production planner who oversees CAM nesting and fabrication sequencing. “All ducting is labelled and delivered in run sequence – A1 to A10, for example – so installation is efficient on-site. We provide drawings, site measurements and even Revit markups for clients,” explains Viljoen.
This commitment to service goes well beyond production. “We assist with final fitments, last-mile measurements and can mark urgent jobs for immediate manufacturing if something changes on-site. That’s part of our aftermarket support promise,” he adds.
Ductshop also provides in-house training via the BUTEC Academy, offering courses on safe gas handling, refrigeration principles and more. “It’s not just about training our staff. Clients like Trane send their technicians here for formal certifications,” says Viljoen.
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- Shown here is one of Ductshop’s advanced welding processes. Using an extended-arm pin spot welder, the team prepares and joins segments with deep penetration welds, ensuring strong, durable, and long-lasting finished goods.
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- This section is dedicated to preparing precut raw materials for round duct fittings. Each fitting is made up of five precision-cut segments, which are seamlessly joined using the genny machine to create the finished product.
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- A Ductshop quality inspector carefully examines finished products as they leave the manufacturing division. Each part is scrutinised to maintain the highest quality standards before being staged for dispatch.
Serving SA and beyond
While most of Ductshop’s work serves the local commercial and industrial market – including retail malls, gyms, pharmaceutical facilities and mining sites – the company is also active in regional cross-border markets, particularly Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini. “We’re seeing a definite pickup in demand in Zimbabwe and Swaziland. There’s continuous development, and we’re ready for it,” says Viljoen.
Projects have included installations for data centres, power stations and large, regular corporate clients like MTN. “We tender competitively, but our service and turnaround times often tip the balance in our favor,” Viljoen notes.
Ductshop differentiates itself through speed of delivery, a comprehensive stock of consumables and a service-first approach. “We keep common jig-sized fittings in stock, allowing clients to place orders and collect within hours. And we don’t just sell ducting. We supply the gaskets, sealants and clamps too – essentially a one-stop-shop for HVAC installers,” says Viljoen.
Ductshop is ISO 14001:2015 certified, with a strong focus on environmental management and workplace safety. Their ducting products are manufactured in compliance with SANS 1238:2005 standards, ensuring both quality and traceability.
Its experience in serving sensitive applications like pharmaceutical cleanrooms, chemical extraction systems and specialised HVAC retrofits speaks to their technical expertise and versatile product quality.
Featured here is a state-of-the-art 3kW laser cutter with interchangeable cutting tables. It handles sheet sizes up to 1500mm x 3000mm and can cut thicknesses ranging from 0.5mm to 12mm. Equipped with internal and external cameras, the system allows operators to safely load and unload materials with ease. Combining speed, accuracy and efficiency, it ensures every part is cut with precision.
Scaling responsively to demand
As order volumes increase, Ductshop has built flexibility into its workforce model. “We scale with demand by bringing in qualified staff on short-term contracts. Because we’ve been around for over 50 years, we have a reliable network of experienced tradespeople trained through past projects and our own systems,” explains Viljoen.
With an uptick in industry activity compared to the previous year, the company is also realigning some of its machinery and workflows to further boost efficiency. While they are not yet working with aluminium, their current scope includes galvanised, stainless, mild and black steel, covering virtually every ducting requirement in the industry.
In a sector where lead times, accuracy and post-sale support can make or break a project, Ductshop has positioned itself as a dependable partner for HVAC and MEP contractors alike. From its centrally located Kempton Park facility, the company delivers fabricated ducting and full-system solutions at pace – backed by modern machinery, skilled staff and client-centric processes.
As South Africa’s built environment continues to evolve, Ductshop’s blend of tradition, technology and technical acumen puts it squarely in the frame as a leader in local manufacturing for the HVAC&R industry.
