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About Samuel, Son & Co.
Founded in 1855, Samuel, Son & Co., Limited is a family-owned enterprise with a vast network of metal manufacturing, processing, and distribution facilities. With over 80 locations across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, Samuel is the largest family-owned processor and distributor of metal products and solutions in North America.

The Client
Samuel is a leading industrial products company known for its innovation, strong commitment to customer success, and exceptional workplace culture. With over 5,500 employees and an annual revenue exceeding $4 billion, Samuel serves a diverse customer base across North America.

Through its employee-led corporate giving program, Samuel Communities, the company supports more than 170 charitable organizations globally, driving positive change and fostering long-term success for both its team members and customers.

The Challenge
The project posed several significant challenges:

  1. Complex Platform Migration
    Transitioning from Optimizely to Drupal 10 required precise planning to ensure seamless migration of critical data such as product catalogs and customer records, with zero data loss.

  2. Outdated Design
    The existing site design was outdated and not mobile-friendly. It required a complete overhaul to meet modern user expectations and maintain the brand's premium identity.

  3. Multilingual and Multisite Needs
    Serving a global audience, Samuel required support for multiple languages. Additionally, the company needed a centralized system to manage 17 distinct websites, each requiring unique administrative controls.

  4. Performance Optimization
    High traffic volumes necessitated advanced optimization measures to deliver a fast, reliable experience across all devices.

  5. Internal Team Empowerment
    Post-migration, Samuel’s in-house team needed to manage the new platform independently, necessitating robust training and documentation.

The Solution
To address these challenges, Dotsquares delivered a comprehensive solution:

  1. Seamless Data Migration
    The team meticulously transitioned the website to Drupal 10, ensuring all critical data was preserved and the transition was free from disruptions.

  2. Modernized Design
    Collaborating closely with Samuel, Dotsquares developed a visually appealing, mobile-responsive design that elevated the user experience while reflecting the brand’s luxurious image.

  3. Multilingual and Multisite Capabilities
    Drupal’s robust features enabled seamless multilingual support and a single backend to manage 17 websites. Each site was configured with unique roles and permissions for streamlined operations.

    https://www.samuel.com
    https://www.metalspinners.com
    https://www.samuelpressurevessel.com
    https://www.sierraaluminum.com
    https://www.samuelnelsontechnology.com
    https://www.samuelservicecenter.com
    https://www.samuelmining.com
    https://www.burloaktech.com
    https://www.kimtamlogistics.com
    https://www.samuelpackaging.com
    https://www.samuelautomation.com
    https://www.samuelcodingandlabeling.com
    https://www.samueladvancedfabrication.com
    https://www.samuelatgstainless.com
    https://www.samuelatgcarbon.com
    https://www.samuelnelsonsteel.com
    https://www.samuelrfg.com
    https://www.mainsteel.com

  4. Performance Enhancements
    Caching and CDN integration improved load times and ensured consistent performance even during peak traffic periods.

  5. Empowering the Team
    Comprehensive training and detailed documentation allowed Samuel’s internal team to manage content, products, and orders with confidence.

The Results
The project yielded transformative outcomes for Samuel, Son & Co.:

  • Enhanced Infrastructure: The migration to Drupal 10 created a secure, scalable, and future-ready platform capable of supporting growth and innovation.
  • Improved Operations: The new CMS streamlined content management, enabling faster updates for product launches and collections.
  • Global Accessibility: Multilingual capabilities expanded the company’s reach, making the website accessible to a global audience.
  • Optimized User Experience: The site’s modern design and mobile responsiveness delivered a seamless experience across all devices.
  • Long-Term Security: Backed by Drupal’s open-source community, Samuel now benefits from regular updates and security patches to safeguard against vulnerabilities.

By migrating to Drupal 10, Samuel, Son & Co. has positioned itself for continued growth, improved global engagement, and enhanced operational efficiency, ensuring a strong digital foundation for years to come.

About the project

Goals:
Samuel, Son & Co. sought to modernize their digital infrastructure by migrating from Optimizely to Drupal 10, ensuring the platform could support the company’s growth and evolving business needs. The primary goals of the project were:

  • Platform Migration: Transition to a scalable, secure, and future-proof CMS.
  • Design Modernization: Revamp the website to reflect a modern and luxurious aesthetic, ensuring mobile responsiveness and improved user experience.
  • Multilingual and Multisite Support: Enable seamless global accessibility and the ability to manage multiple websites from a unified backend.
  • Performance Optimization: Ensure fast loading speeds and smooth navigation, even during high traffic periods.
  • Empowerment of Internal Teams: Equip the client’s internal team with the tools and training to independently manage the new website.

Requirements:
To achieve these goals, the project had the following technical and functional requirements:

  1. Data Integrity: Seamless migration of critical data, including product catalogs and customer information, without any loss or compromise.
  2. Custom Multisite Management: Implement a centralized backend to oversee 17 websites with distinct user roles and administrative controls.
  3. Multilingual Capabilities: Incorporate support for multiple languages to cater to Samuel’s global audience.
  4. Performance Enhancements: Integrate caching and CDN solutions for faster load times and better performance under heavy traffic.
  5. Responsive Design: Redesign the website to ensure it is mobile-friendly and offers a consistent experience across devices.
  6. Training and Documentation: Provide detailed documentation and hands-on training for the internal team to manage the new platform independently.

Outcome:
The project was a resounding success, delivering a highly modernized and efficient digital platform that met all the stated goals. Key outcomes included:

  1. Seamless Migration: A smooth transition from Optimizely to Drupal 10, preserving all critical data and avoiding downtime.
  2. Revamped Design: A visually appealing, mobile-responsive website that aligned with Samuel’s brand identity and exceeded modern user expectations.
  3. Global Reach: Multilingual capabilities made the website accessible to international audiences, enhancing global customer engagement.
  4. Streamlined Management: The multisite functionality allowed Samuel to oversee 17 websites efficiently while maintaining autonomy for each site’s operations.
  5. Performance Boost: Optimized load times and improved site speed enhanced user satisfaction and ensured a seamless browsing experience, even during peak traffic.
  6. Empowered Teams: Comprehensive training enabled Samuel’s internal team to confidently manage content, launch new product lines, and maintain the website.

By meeting and exceeding the project’s goals and requirements, the migration to Drupal 10 positioned Samuel, Son & Co. for sustained growth, global expansion, and long-term digital success.

Why Drupal was chosen

Drupal 10 was chosen as the platform for Samuel, Son & Co.’s website migration due to its robust capabilities, flexibility, and alignment with the client’s diverse and complex requirements.

  1. Scalability for Multisite Management
    With Samuel overseeing 17 different websites, each requiring unique user roles and administrative controls, Drupal’s multisite capabilities made it the ideal solution. The platform’s ability to manage multiple sites from a single backend allowed for streamlined operations, reducing complexity while ensuring consistency.

  2. Multilingual Capabilities
    Catering to a global audience necessitated a platform with strong multilingual support. Drupal excels in this area, offering built-in language handling and seamless integration of multilingual content. This allowed Samuel’s website to accommodate various languages and reach new regions effectively.

  3. Customizability and Flexibility
    Drupal’s modular architecture enabled Dotsquares to create a highly customized solution tailored to Samuel’s specific needs. From integrating complex product catalogs to designing a user-friendly and visually appealing interface, Drupal offered the flexibility required to meet the project’s goals without compromising performance or aesthetics.

  4. Enhanced Performance and Security
    For a high-traffic website, performance optimization was a critical factor. Drupal’s caching mechanisms and compatibility with CDNs ensured fast load times, even during peak traffic periods. Moreover, Drupal’s robust security measures, coupled with regular community-driven updates, provided a secure foundation to safeguard sensitive data and ensure long-term reliability.

  5. Future-Proof Infrastructure
    As a forward-thinking company, Samuel needed a platform that could support future growth and technological advancements. Drupal’s open-source nature and active community make it a future-proof choice, with continuous innovations and improvements ensuring that the platform evolves alongside the business.

  6. Ease of Content Management
    The internal team at Samuel required a CMS that was intuitive and easy to manage. Drupal 10’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive documentation enabled smooth onboarding and empowered the team to independently handle content updates, product management, and site maintenance with confidence.

By leveraging Drupal 10’s unparalleled strengths in scalability, security, and customizability, Dotsquares successfully delivered a modern, efficient, and future-ready platform that meets Samuel, Son & Co.’s needs today and positions them for continued growth tomorrow.

Technical Specifications

Drupal version: