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From Hesitant About Automation to Not Being Able to Do Without

Roy van de Camp
Managing Director, Constructiebedrijf Van de Camp

“The software isn’t limited to steel construction alone”

For nearly half a century, Constructiebedrijf Van de Camp has specialized in the engineering and production of steel structures for residential buildings, industrial halls, and other structural works. “Our clients come to us for complete steel structures, lintels, staircases, railings, welding work, wear-resistant plates, and various repair jobs,” says Roy van de Camp, Managing Director and Owner. “As a small-scale family business, we operate with a close-knit team of skilled professionals. That ensures short lines of communication and consistently high quality. By preparing all our steel project quotations and managing them in MatrixMetaal, we always maintain a clear overview.”

Constructiebedrijf Van de Camp is based in Megen, in the municipality of Oss, where it has a production hall of around 1,000 m², an outdoor storage area of approximately 3,000 m², and an office building that is being upgraded step by step. Roy, the second generation of the family business, has been leading the company for about three years. Under his leadership, MatrixMetaal was also introduced. “While we mainly use MatrixMetaal for calculating new projects, we also use the MatrixProject module for quotation management, order management, time tracking, and post-calculations,” he explains. “What really stands out to me is the software’s flexibility and extensive functionality. Plus, Matrix Software has a modern approach to software development. I’m someone who thinks outside the box and often wants features that may not be standard. Matrix Software is very open to that. Whether it’s visualizing certain data or creating custom reports—everything is customizable.”

Roy is particularly satisfied with the time-tracking feature. “Where team members used to track their project hours in individual notebooks, everything is now centrally and digitally recorded. That gives us a solid foundation for post-calculation. Communication has become much more streamlined.”

More Accurate Quotations

“At one point, it felt like software development at Matrix Software had slowed down. There weren’t many updates,” Van de Camp recalls. “But MatrixProject really surprised us—it’s continuously evolving. Both in terms of features and possibilities, it now gives us a future-proof solution. For us, MatrixProject functions as a complete ERP system, integrating CRM, document management, project and order management, and time registration in a very efficient way. We can extract a great deal of information from the software. What materials and hours were estimated at the project level? And how does that compare with reality? This enables us to offer even more accurate quotations.”

Instantly Stored

“As soon as a project request comes in, it’s directly stored in the MatrixMetaal database,” Roy explains. “We can also assign a submission date and even automatically email the client to confirm we’ve received their request and when they can expect a response. All added information is automatically saved to Matrix Drive, ensuring all project documents are always accessible.”

Quoting and Calculating

“To generate a quote, I simply click ‘Create Quotation’,” Roy continues. “Within the project environment, I launch the calculation. In our external CAD software, I create a calculation model that’s imported into MatrixMetaal and calculated using up-to-date supplier prices managed by Matrix Software—our discounts are already included. I can easily add text to the quotation using predefined text blocks, which can be inserted or removed with a single click. This is a major advantage compared to programs like Microsoft Word, which require much more manual editing. Once the quote is ready, I generate a report that includes the offer, drawings, terms and conditions, and any additional files—simply by ticking checkboxes. Then, the entire package is sent directly to the client via MatrixMetaal.”

Order Phase

Once the client approves the quotation, it’s converted into an order in MatrixMetaal. “Any changes or additional work can be added and are instantly visible to everyone in the company.” During the order phase, all office hours, workshop time, and transport activities are tracked. “Material purchasing is also handled via the system. We import the final drawings and, using a special button, filter only the required materials for ordering. We can directly compare the quote calculation with the order calculation.”

In the realization phase, purchase invoices can be stored on Matrix Drive and linked to material certificates. “This builds a complete project file that allows us to quickly access the right information and ensures CE certification is covered.”

Invoicing

“In the invoicing phase, we can choose between total invoices, progress invoices, or invoices based on time and materials,” Roy explains. “We don’t yet have an integration with our accounting package, but we plan to implement that soon. Once that’s in place, the cycle from calculation and quotation to project management and invoicing will be fully integrated.”

Listening to the Industry

“Matrix Software is a great organization to work with,” Roy emphasizes. “Support questions are picked up and resolved quickly. Plus, they really listen to industry feedback. For example, in steel construction we place high importance on the actual price per kilogram. This wasn’t visible under ‘material consumption’ in MatrixMetaal. I submitted a request for this feature, and it was included in the next software update. The software is constantly being improved, based on real-world insights.”

Easy Learning Curve

“In addition to steel structures, we increasingly deliver foundations, cladding, and flooring,” Roy concludes. “MatrixMetaal supports these too. The software isn’t limited to steel construction alone. If I want to create an article number for a panel or a hollow-core slab, I can. The system evolves alongside our business. What’s more, the learning curve is very manageable. The industry and product managers guide you through it. I usually want everything running by next week—but Matrix’s branch manager Jacko Woutersen helped us take it step by step. That kept things digestible for the team, while still making the software valuable from day one. You can implement it gradually—and it adds value immediately.”