What Chempute Software does

Chempute Software (Pty) Ltd is a South Africa-based specialist distributor and technical support provider for third-party engineering design and analysis software, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Durban with a Johannesburg training facility. The company represents a broad multi-vendor portfolio covering chemical process simulation (AFT, ChemCAD), mechanical and pressure equipment analysis (Octave/Aspect Pipe Stress, Aspect Pressure Vessel, Aspect Tank, GT STRUDL, CerebroMix, MecaStack), CAD and plant design (Forte 3DWorx suite, Octave BricsCAD, Facets P&IDWorx, OrthoGen, Leica CloudWorx), electrical and instrumentation design (Elecdes suite, InstruCalc), steel detailing (SDS2 by ALLPLAN), safety and air dispersion modeling (Trinity BREEZE), and asset integrity management (Cenosco IMS Suite). Chempute also delivers CPD-accredited instructor-led training, accredited by SAIMechE and aligned with ECSA regulations, in classroom, online, and onsite formats.

The company's underlying technology is not proprietary; rather, Chempute's value layer is its curated multi-discipline portfolio, cross-product integration expertise (e.g., bi-directional CAD-to-analysis workflows between Forte 3DWorx and CAESAR II / PV Elite / GT STRUDL), and local technical support delivered by phone, email, and remote session. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time license resale of third-party software, supplemented by training and technical support services. All sales are processed manually via a consultant-led model: customers submit contact details and a sales consultant guides them through quoting, evaluation, ordering, and payment. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and no digital self-serve storefront is operated. The company serves nine vertical segments including Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Mining, Specialty Chemicals as primary, and Pulp & Paper, Water Treatment, Sugar, Manufacturing, Structural Steel, and Infrastructure/AEC/BIM as secondary. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and Chempute operates as an independent, privately-held entity with no disclosed external funding, parent company, M&A activity, or ownership changes.

Name

Chempute Software

Legal name

Chempute Software (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://chempute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chempute Software is a South Africa-based specialist distributor of third-party engineering design and analysis software, founded in 1986. It resells and supports a multi-vendor portfolio spanning CAD, plant design, FEA, safety, and asset integrity tools for engineering firms in oil & gas, mining, power, and chemicals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering Software Sales: Chempute Software resells and distributes third-party engineering software products across multiple disciplines (chemical, mechanical, CAD, electrical, instrumentation, steel detailing, asset integrity, safety). Sales are processed manually through a consultant-led process where customers provide contact details and receive guided purchasing support. The company also facilitates software evaluations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chempute Software is a South African engineering software reseller and distributor that represents a multi-disciplinary portfolio of third-party engineering software products covering chemical process simulation, mechanical/CAD/plant design, electrical design, instrumentation sizing, steel detailing, asset integrity management, and safety/quality analysis. The company provides consultant-led sales, technical support via phone, email and remote sessions, and CPD-accredited instructor-led training.

Product overview

Chempute Software is a software reseller and technical support provider for the engineering industry, celebrating 40 years in business since 1986. Their portfolio is a multi-vendor platform of specialized engineering software rather than a single unified product. The core offerings span multiple engineering disciplines: CAD & Plant Design (Forte 3DWorx/CADWorx suite including P&ID, Structure, Design Review, OrthoGen, and CloudWorx for point cloud processing), Engineering Analysis (Aspect Pipe Stress/CAESAR II for pipe stress, Aspect Pressure Vessel/PV Elite for vessels, Aspect Tank for storage tanks, GT STRUDL for structural analysis, AFT suite for fluid dynamics), Instrumentation (InstruCalc 10 for sizing, Elecdes suite for electrical CAD), Steel Detailing (SDS2), Safety & Quality (BREEZE software for air dispersion and risk analysis), and Asset Integrity Management (Cenosco IMS Suite). The company also resells Octave BricsCAD as the underlying CAD platform and provides CPD-accredited training services. These products are distributed primarily in South Africa with support offices in Durban and Johannesburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFT Fathom Fluid dynamic simulation software for calculating pressure drop and pipe flow distribution in liquid and low-velocity gas piping and ducting systems.
• AFT Arrow Fluid dynamic simulation tool for calculating pressure drop and flow distribution in gas piping and ducting systems with heat transfer and choked flow capabilities.
• AFT Impulse Dynamic simulation software for calculating pressure surge transients in liquid piping systems caused by waterhammer.
• AFT xStream Fluid dynamic simulation tool for high-speed acoustic transients in steam and gas piping systems including choked flow conditions.
• Forte 3DWorx (formerly CADWorx Plant Professional) Integrated 2D process and 3D plant design software providing intelligent drawing, database connectivity, advanced automation, and drafting tools for piping, equipment, and structural modeling.
• Facets P&IDWorx (formerly CADWorx P&ID Professional) Software for creating intelligent piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) with dynamic linking to project databases and component data.
• Octave Forte StructureWorx (formerly CADWorx Structure) Integrated CAD-based software for structural design and detailing of steel and concrete structures with intelligent modeling and automation.
• Forte ReviewWorx (formerly CADWorx Design Review) Software for reviewing, analyzing, and publishing complex 3D plant models with markup, annotation, and collaboration tools.
• Octave BricsCAD DWG-based CAD platform available in Lite, Pro, BIM, and Mechanical editions for 2D and 3D drafting and design, serving as the underlying CAD platform for many Chempute-distributed products.
• Octave OnSite Visualize (iConstruct) BIM software for Autodesk Navisworks for project performance, collaboration, and efficiency across the project lifecycle, including Advanced Work Packaging functionality.
• OrthoGen Object ARX application that automates annotation of orthographic drawings from 3D models, reducing production time by more than 50%.
• Leica CloudWorx Point cloud processing and analysis plugin for BricsCAD and AutoCAD enabling efficient handling of large point cloud datasets from laser scanning for brownfield plant projects.
• SDS2 2026 by ALLPLAN Steel detailing software with 2D drafting, 3D modeling, BIM integration, CNC machine connectivity, and ERP system integration for structural steel fabricators and detailers.
• InstruCalc 10 Engineering-grade instrumentation sizing suite with 74+ integrated engineering functions covering control valve sizing, relief device sizing, ISO/AGA flow element sizing, and pressure drop calculations.
• Elecdes by Scada Systems Suite of electrical design software including Elecdes Instrument Manager for instrumentation and loop diagrams, Elecdes Electrical CAD for 2D circuit diagrams and schematics, Paneldes Panel Designer, and Paneldes Raceway.
• MecaStack Steel stack design software for designing steel stacks, chimneys, flares, and exhaust stacks with bending analysis for stack lifting design, supporting multiple design codes.
• CerebroMix Pressure vessel and mixing system design software computing calculations per ASME Code Section VIII Division 1, with mixing system analysis developed over 30 years.
• Trinity Consultants BREEZE Software Safety and quality modeling software suite including BREEZE AERMOD (EPA-approved air dispersion model), BREEZE Incident Analyst (chemical release hazard modeling), and BREEZE Risk Analyst (GIS-based human health risk assessment).
• Cenosco IMS Suite Unified asset integrity management suite covering pressure equipment integrity, reliability-centered maintenance, safety instrumented systems, pipelines and subsea systems, flange connections, and civil structures for asset-intensive industries.
• Aspect Pressure Vessel (formerly PV Elite) Complete solution for pressure vessel and heat exchanger design, analysis, and evaluation per ASME Section VIII, PD 5500, and EN-13445 codes.
• Octave Aspect Tank Storage tank design and analysis software per API 650, 620, and 653 standards for oil storage tanks.
• Octave Aspect Pipe Stress (formerly CAESAR II) Industry-standard pipe stress analysis software evaluating structural responses and stresses per 35+ international piping code standards.
• GT STRUDL Structural engineering software with comprehensive analysis and design capabilities including 3D CAD modeling and 64-bit high-performance solvers.
• CPD-Accredited Engineering Training Services Instructor-led training for engineering software including classroom, online/virtual, and onsite delivery options, accredited by SAIMechE and aligned with ECSA regulations for CPD points.

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration25 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Octave (Hexagon)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute represents and distributes Octave (formerly Hexagon) engineering software products including Forte 3DWorx (formerly CADWorx Plant Professional), Facets P&IDWorx (formerly CADWorx P&ID), Forte StructureWorx (formerly CADWorx Structure), Forte ReviewWorx (formerly CADWorx Design Review), OrthoGen, Aspect Pipe Stress (formerly CAESAR II), Aspect Pressure Vessel (formerly PV Elite), Aspect Tank, GT STRUDL, and related products. These are flagship products forming the core of Chempute's CAD, plant design, and engineering analysis portfolio.
• AFT (Datacor)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes AFT (Applied Flow Technology) software products sourced through Datacor, including AFT Fathom (fluid dynamic simulation for liquid and gas piping), AFT Arrow (compressible flow analysis), AFT Impulse (waterhammer/transient surge analysis), and AFT xStream (high-speed acoustic transients for steam/gas systems).
• Scada Systems (Elecdes)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes Elecdes electrical design software by Scada Systems, including Elecdes Instrument Manager (instrumentation and loop diagrams), Elecdes Electrical CAD (2D circuit diagrams, schematics, one-line diagrams, wiring diagrams), Paneldes Panel Designer (electrical panel design), and Paneldes Raceway (cable routing). Elecdes is marketed as the world's richest set of design tools for Electrical & Instrumentation.
• Cenosco (IMS Suite)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes Cenosco's Integrity Management System (IMS) suite covering multiple asset integrity management modules: IMS PEI (Pressure Equipment Integrity with RBI), IMS RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance), IMS SIS (Safety Instrumented Systems), IMS PLSS (Pipeline and Subsea Systems), IMS FCM (Flange Connection Management), IMS CIVIL (Civil Structures), and the unified IMS Suite.
• ALLPLAN (SDS2)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes SDS2 2026 by ALLPLAN, a steel detailing software used by structural steel fabricators, detailers, EPCs with steel divisions, mining infrastructure, and industrial building contractors. SDS2 supports BIM integration, CNC machines, and ERP systems, offering SDS2 Basic, Drafting, Modeling, and Ultimate tiers.
• Trinity Consultants (BREEZE)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes Trinity Consultants' BREEZE modeling software for safety and quality applications: BREEZE AERMOD (air dispersion model, EPA-approved), BREEZE Incident Analyst (accidental chemical release hazard and consequence modeling), and BREEZE Risk Analyst (GIS-based human health risk assessment for Esri ArcGIS).
• InstruCalccoreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes InstruCalc, a comprehensive instrumentation sizing suite with 74+ integrated engineering functions covering control valve sizing (liquid, gas, steam, two-phase), relief device sizing (ASME/API), ISO/AGA flow element sizing, waterhammer analysis, and pressure drop calculations. Supports ISA, API, ASME, and ISO methodologies.
• Leica Geosystems (CloudWorx)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes Leica CloudWorx for BricsCAD (and AutoCAD), a point cloud processing and analysis tool integrated with Leica Cyclone and JetStream. CloudWorx enables creation of as-built piping, equipment, and structural models from point clouds for brownfield plant projects, supporting clash detection and accurate design basis documentation.
• DWG CAD (Octave BricsCAD)coreTechnology or IntegrationChempute distributes Octave BricsCAD (a brand of Bricsys/DWG CAD), a DWG-based CAD platform available in Lite, Pro, BIM, and Mechanical variants. BricsCAD runs the Octave/Forte CADWorx product suite and Leica CloudWorx, offering full command, script, macro, and menu compatibility with industry-standard DWG format.
• SAIMechE (CPD Accreditation)strategicOthersChempute's training courses are accredited in accordance with The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) and ECSA regulations. CPD points are granted with each course completion. This accreditation is a key trust signal for the company's training services in the South African engineering market.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ansys: Engineering simulation software leader (FEA, CFD, structural) used by many of the same engineering firms that buy Chempute's GT STRUDL, CAESAR II, and PV Elite products. Adjacent product category serving overlapping structural and mechanical analysis needs.
• Aspen Technology: Specialist in chemical process simulation, asset performance management, and supply chain optimization software. Highly comparable to Chempute's chemical process industry customer base and overlaps with AFT, ChemCAD, and Cenosco IMS use cases.
• Hexagon PPM: Owner of CADWorx (now Forte 3DWorx), CAESAR II (Aspect Pipe Stress), PV Elite, and GT STRUDL — all of which Chempute distributes in its region. Hexagon is simultaneously a critical vendor and a broad incumbent whose direct-to-customer strategy is the central risk to Chempute's business model.
• AVEVA: Global industrial software incumbent serving plant design, process simulation, and asset integrity in oil & gas, power, chemicals, and mining — overlapping with multiple Chempute-distributed product categories (CADWorx/plant design, asset integrity, safety) and increasingly competing with distributors via direct cloud subscriptions.
• Autodesk: Dominant CAD/AEC software publisher (AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks) whose platform Chempute's CADWorx, CloudWorx, and OrthoGen products are built on or integrate with. Competes in the same engineering toolchain and is shifting aggressively to subscription and direct sales.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software: Offers plant design (Comos, Plant Simulation) and engineering analysis software for process industries. Comparable broad portfolio competitor in the same customer verticals (oil & gas, chemicals, power) as Chempute.
• Intergraph (Hexagon) Smart 3D: Enterprise plant design software suite that competes directly with Chempute-distributed CADWorx/Forte 3DWorx and integrates with it (per the disclosed Forte-to-Smart 3D export workflow). Same parent as Hexagon PPM.
• Bentley Systems: Provider of infrastructure engineering software (OpenPlant, AutoPIPE, STAAD) serving structural, plant, and infrastructure design — overlapping with Chempute's CAD & Plant, structural, and infrastructure/AEC customer segments.

Regional players

• KBC (Yokogawa): Process simulation and operations optimization software serving oil & gas, refining, and petrochemicals — overlapping with Chempute's primary vertical customer base and with the AFT and ChemCAD process simulation lines. Comparable as a process-industry specialist rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Cadmes Group: European engineering software distributor and integrator with a multi-vendor portfolio similar in concept to Chempute (reselling CAD, simulation, and engineering analysis tools) and providing training/support services — a direct peer by business model, though operating in EMEA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chempute-software

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chempute Software