Ahola Group website

In 2021, the Ahola Group carried out a reorganization, in which the Group’s operations were structured into three business units: Transport, Special, and Digital. As part of this restructuring, there was also a need to update and modernize the website. In particular, the difficulty of updating the site and the fact that the units’ websites were separate from one another were challenges that the restructuring was intended to address.

G-Works did not carry out this project alone. Miller & Lean led the conceptualization of the website as well as the design of its layout and user interface, while G-Works served as the technical implementer for the project. The three-party model was recognized from the outset as unique, and steps were taken to actively mitigate the risks it posed. Clear agreements were reached among all three parties regarding reporting and work practices.

Miller & Lean and G-Works agreed from the outset that there were no “our problems” or “your problems,” but rather shared issues and a common interest. Each was to help the other and support the other party’s success.

Ahola’s business units cater to a variety of needs: Transport handles road freight, Special handles specialized transport, and Digital develops systems for all transportation management needs. The units’ website requirements also varied considerably. While one unit needed direct integrations with CRM systems, another had entirely different needs.

The website had to be designed so that the same page template could serve everyone—even though it’s impossible to predict all future needs in advance.

The website was built as a WordPress multisite installation, applying the principles of object-oriented programming (OOP) to all of its components. Since the same site template was to be used across all business unit sites, we opted for a solution where no code was written directly into the WordPress theme; instead, all functionality was organized into separate functions.

The actual management of the site was implemented entirely using building blocks—modules that can be freely combined in page templates. The goal of this solution was to give business units the freedom to use the site for various purposes without compromising the unified theme or user experience.

The Ahola Group website serves the parent company as well as all three of its business units, and its development continues actively under the capable care of G-Works’ Respa service.

Thanks to the solutions implemented, the site can easily be expanded with new modules. The solution is versatile and ready to meet future challenges for years to come—just like its client.