Reference

Gentner Verlag — Multiple Trade Portals, One Platform

Name: arocom GmbH
Address: Heumadener Straße 4, Ostfildern-Kemnat, 73760, DE
Telephone: +49 711 633 77 960

Last updated: March 2026

Multiple Trade Portals

1 Platform Drupal Foundation

Since 2018 Partnership

Ongoing New Verticals

Challenge

The Challenge

Alfons W. Gentner Verlag in Stuttgart is a long-established B2B trade publisher with titles in building technology, electrical engineering, and further industries. Each trade portal serves its own audience with its own editorial team, content types, and brand.

The strategic challenge: launch new industry verticals quickly and cost-effectively without rebuilding from scratch for each portal. At the same time, each vertical must stand on its own — with its own design, sections, and independent editorial workflows. The technical foundation should be shared: security updates, performance optimizations, and new features benefit all portals equally.

Solution

The Solution

arocom developed a Drupal platform architecture that serves as the foundation for all of the publisher's trade portals. The approach: shared core, individual expression.

Scalable Platform Architecture

A shared Drupal core with proven modules: Paragraphs, Search API, Scheduler, media management. New verticals leverage this foundation and go live in weeks instead of months.

Portal-Specific Design

Each trade portal receives an independent theme with its own color palette, typography, and navigation structure. The brand identity of each vertical is preserved.

Independent Editorial Teams

Each portal has its own editorial workflows, content types, and approval processes. Editorial teams work independently without blocking each other.

Centralized Maintenance

Security updates, Drupal core upgrades, and performance optimizations are deployed centrally and benefit all portals simultaneously.

Results

The vertical strategy has paid off: new trade portals are launched on the existing platform in a fraction of the original development time. Editorial teams work independently while the technical foundation is shared across all portals.

haustec.de as the flagship portal continues to grow with line extensions like ACADEMY, AWARD, and haustec TV. Each new vertical benefits from the experience and optimizations of existing portals. arocom is responsible for the entire technical platform: security maintenance, hosting, feature development, and ongoing support.

Weeks Time-to-Market per Vertical

Central Security Updates

Independent Editorial Workflows

Technology

Tech Stack

Drupal 11 (Core 11.3) PHP 8.3 Paragraphs & DTLs Search API + Facets Redis Caching Webform Scheduler Blazy & Image Optimization CleverReach Newsletter OpenID Connect Multisite Architecture Gin Admin Theme Drush 13 GSAP Animations

We have been working very closely with arocom for more than two years and have had many good experiences.

Axel Burkert Client, Google Review

What is Gentner Verlag's vertical strategy?

Alfons W. Gentner Verlag operates multiple industry-specific trade portals (verticals) on a shared Drupal platform. Each portal serves its own audience with its own editorial team and design.

Why a shared platform instead of individual websites?

A shared technical foundation reduces development costs, accelerates the launch of new verticals, and ensures that security updates and performance optimizations benefit all portals simultaneously.

How quickly can a new vertical be launched?

Thanks to the proven platform architecture, new trade portals go live in weeks instead of months. The foundation is in place — individual customizations for design, content types, and editorial workflows are built on top.

What role does arocom play in the vertical strategy?

arocom is the technical partner for the entire platform: development, hosting, security maintenance, feature development, and ongoing support. Since 2018, arocom has accompanied Gentner Verlag from the initial haustec.de installation to the scalable vertical platform.

Can arocom support other publishers with a vertical strategy?

Yes. The experience from the Gentner partnership flows directly into new publishing projects. Since 2012, arocom has delivered over 160 Drupal projects — including numerous publishing platforms.

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