Modernizing a Complex CMS for a Global Industrial Brand
AFRISO is a European industrial leader with over 150 years of experience, operating in 60+ countries and employing more than 1,100 people. The company delivers high-quality safety, control, and measurement solutions used across domestic, industrial, and environmental installations. Its expansive product offering is supported by a content-rich digital platform used by both partners and customers.
AFRISO’s existing Content Management System (CMS) served as a multifunctional platform. It included a news module, product catalog (sourced from external databases), technical documentation, certifications, user manuals, and a large knowledge base with videos and product usage guides.
But this system had started to show its age.
Key challenges included:
An outdated technology stack, limiting performance, security, and development
Management of vast and complex datasets, with product data coming from external sources
Search functionality that was outdated and poorly optimized
UI inconsistencies and lack of full mobile responsiveness
Security vulnerabilities and no structured database migration system
The company needed a comprehensive upgrade—one that would improve speed, usability, scalability, and design.
Country
Germany
Timeline
2018-ongoing
Industry
Domestic and industrial technology
Our Solution
We began with a comprehensive audit of the application and its infrastructure to map out the areas requiring the most urgent attention. Based on this audit, we modernized the system across six key dimensions:
1. Backend & Deployment Upgrades
Upgraded PHP to version 7.3
Migrated to Laravel 6.0 LTS, ensuring long-term support
Implemented automated deployments using GitHub Actions for smoother release cycles
2. Performance Optimization for Large-Scale Data
Developed an image optimization feature that automatically compresses files on upload
Introduced backend-level improvements to improve system responsiveness
Built a custom database migration mechanism from scratch
Resolved multiple security issues
3. Rebuilding Search with ElasticSearch
We completely rebuilt the search engine using ElasticSearch, enabling more relevant and faster search results. This was a significant UX and technical improvement over the legacy solution.
4. Visual & UI Enhancements
Redesigned key subpages, including search results and product detail views
Aligned the platform with Responsive Web Design standards
Improved navigation and overall clarity for end-users
World-class technologies
Results & Business Value
A modernized CMS built on secure, up-to-date technologies
Improved performance and faster page loads
Accurate and relevant product search powered by ElasticSearch
Fully responsive design across mobile and desktop
Better UX for managing technical content, manuals, and documentation
Optimized storage and cleaner deployment cycles
The AFRISO platform is now faster, more secure, and more intuitive—ready to serve customers, partners, and internal teams across Europe and beyond.
Lessons Learned
Legacy platforms can evolve through targeted and incremental refactoring
Strong search functionality is essential when working with complex technical data
Visual consistency and mobile responsiveness significantly improve user engagement
Investing in security and deployment automation early improves long-term development efficiency
Opportunities for Future Development
Add user-specific dashboards or content personalization
Expand multilingual capabilities for broader market support
Implement usage analytics for manuals and technical content
Integrate chatbot support or live search assistance
Upgrade Laravel and PHP versions to the newest LTS releases