SITES BUILDING
Project Duration: 3 - 4 months
J.R. Merritt Controls, a leader in industrial control solutions, faced significant challenges when its website was redesigned because its content management was divided between three systems.
They needed a centralized solution that allowed non-technical team members to manage the site while also modernizing its design for improved user engagement.
We implemented a fully integrated CMS using Statamic CMS, allowing J.R. Merritt to centralize product management, streamline content updates, and empower non-technical users to take control of the website. We also enhanced site performance by caching content on the first load, delivering a fast, responsive user experience.
J.R. Merritt Controls
Established in the mid 1980s as a distributor and service center, they staked their early reputation on a new breed of rugged, low-spring-force joysticks for the metals industry and soon expanded their product line to include seating solutions, offering a complete adjustable, turnkey solution to steel mill operators across America.
Key results
Empowered Non-Technical Teams to update product pages, and create new content without.
Centralized Content Management into a single CMS
Server-side caching drastically enhanced the website's load times and responsiveness
J.R. Merritt’s website had become a complex tangle of different technologies that created complications for content management. The site relied on three distinct approaches to managing and updating content: a traditional Content Management System (CMS) was responsible for most of the website’s structural elements; a separate database handled specific pieces of content for certain sections, some sections of the website were hardcoded directly into the HTML of the site.
This fragmented structure meant that any updates to the website—whether it be adding new products, updating technical specifications, or making design changes—required a significant amount of coordination. Different parts of the site needed to be updated in different systems, and sometimes updates required technical expertise to modify the hardcoded portions.
On top of these challenges, J.R. Merritt wanted to modernize their website to make it more interactive and user-friendly, enhancing user engagement through a more dynamic design. This new vision also required a CMS with robust customization options, allowing their marketing team and non-technical staff to make updates without needing a developer to intervene. The company wanted the flexibility to add new content, update pages, and general adjustments without having to dive into the complexities of code.
Given the dynamic nature of their site, they needed a CMS with extensive configuration options to allow for easy customization and content updates by non-technical users.
After thoroughly assessing J.R. Merritt’s needs and conducting an analysis of their current technology stack, we recommended a full overhaul of their website’s content management system, opting for Statamic as the foundation of the new site. Statamic stood out due to its flexibility, ease of use for non-technical staff, and ability to integrate seamlessly with custom designs, all while ensuring performance optimization.
Here’s how we implemented the solution:
Full CMS Integration with Statamic: Statamic’s flexible nature allowed us to centralize all of J.R. Merritt’s content management needs within a single system. We migrated the entire product catalog, technical specifications, images, and other dynamic content into the Statamic CMS. This move drastically simplified content management, eliminating the need to work across three different systems. Now, a non-technical user can add or update product pages, and adjust content, all within a user-friendly interface.
Custom Configuration for Products and Features: Given the highly specialized nature of J.R. Merritt’s products, it was crucial that the CMS could handle detailed product information, technical data, and custom configurations for different product lines. We built out these capabilities within Statamic, allowing their team to easily input product specifications, images, and descriptions. As J.R. Merritt introduces new products or adjusts their offerings, they can now do so quickly and without the need for developer assistance.
Dynamic and Interactive Redesign: We worked closely with J.R. Merritt’s team to modernize the overall design of the site, incorporating interactive elements that improve user engagement. The new site design was built to be responsive, ensuring a seamless experience across devices—whether customers are viewing from desktop, tablet, or mobile. We also integrated features like intuitive navigation, quick product filtering, and enhanced visuals to showcase their control solutions more effectively.
Content Caching and Performance Optimization: Performance was another top priority for the new website. We implemented server-side caching strategies within Statamic that ensured content was cached on the first load, drastically improving page load times and site responsiveness.
Empowering Non-Technical Users: One of the key goals for the new CMS was to enable non-technical team members at J.R. Merritt to manage and update the site independently. With Statamic’s intuitive user interface, the marketing team can now update product information, and add new pages without needing to touch a line of code. This has allowed J.R. Merritt to stay agile, making real-time updates and adjustments based on their priorities.
As JR Merritt continues to grow and introduce new products and improvements to its systems, there will always be the opportunity to continue working together in the pursuit of continuous improvement in its processes and tools.
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