OBO Bettermann

Ibexa at the heart of a global digital transformation
38 Websites
28 Languages
60+ Countries with their products

OBO Bettermann is a leading global manufacturer of installation systems for the electrical infrastructure of buildings and systems. Founded in 1911, it is a family-owned company headquartered in Menden, Germany.

Ibexa partner

adesso is one of the leading independent IT service providers in the German-speaking world, focusing on providing consultancy and individual software development services for the core business processes of companies and public administration. Its Digital Experience business unit combines the creative services of a digital agency (formerly ARITHNEA GmbH) with the expertise of an experienced IT consulting firm.

OBO Bettermann is a global leader in electrical installation systems, operating in diverse markets with unique regulatory and cultural requirements.  

Their digital transformation goal was ambitious: create a centralized platform for 38 websites in 28 languages that could deliver consistent brand experiences while empowering local subsidiaries to adapt content for their markets.  

At the center of this transformation is Ibexa DXP, acting as the digital experience hub that connects systems, processes and people. 

 

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1.  The Challenge: 

Fragmented digital landscape 

Before Ibexa, OBO relied on a siloed approach for their digital eco system. Each of the systems had clear limitations, and over time it became apparent that a new strategy had to be put in place.  Not having well-connected systems for content, product data, and campaign management led to inefficiencies, and duplicated efforts, Subsidiaries often had to improvise, creating friction and slowing time-to-market. 

Multi-language complexity 

Managing 12 active languages (with plans for additional 16) required more than translation. It demanded localization. Technical content had to be accurate, legally compliant, and culturally relevant. Manual processes made this slow and error-prone.  

Subsidiary autonomy vs. global governance 

OBO needed to strike a balance: global campaigns and design standards had to remain consistent, while subsidiaries required flexibility to publish local news, job postings, and offers. Without a structured workflow, this balance was hard to maintain. 

Integration demands 

OBO’s ecosystem included Microsoft Dynamics CRM for forms and events, Woodwing DAM for asset management a custom PIM for product data, and the myOBO app for customer engagement. These systems needed to work seamlessly with the website, requiring a platform that could work as their digital hub. 

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"For our international B2B company, which operates 38 websites in 28 languages, the platform offers centralized, efficient management and a consistent user experience across all markets"

Christina Debatin
Teamlead Online Marketing, OBO Bettermann

 

Why Ibexa? 

Ibexa delivers: 

  1. Flexibility for complex multi-locale requirements 
  2. Integration ready –  Ibexa can adapt to the needs of the organization. 
  3. Scalability for global expansion. 
  4. Future-readiness with AI and taxonomy capabilities. 

 

Ibexa: The Digital Experience core, expanded 

The old CMS was unintuitive and as such it was important for the new system not to compromise user friendliness. Being able to have a flexible, yet intuitive system was key.  

Intuitive, allowing editors to do their everyday work efficiently.  

Flexible, because it needed to be at the heart of their digital operations, integrating with multiple systems and being future proof. 

With these challenges in mind, Ibexa DXP became the central orchestrator of OBO’s digital ecosystem, delivering both intuitiveness and extensibility.  

 
Here’s how: 

Centralized Content Management 

Ibexa provides a single source of truth for all content. Global teams manage core assets, while subsidiaries localize them using structured workflows and approval processes. This ensures brand consistency without sacrificing local relevance. 

 

Traditional and headless on the web 

For essential sections on the web, such as product pages, there are strict guidelines on how data and content should be presented. For these there are strict  templates that pull product data from their PIM to ensure that only one source of truth exists. 

For other pages, the Page Builder gives the editorial team exactly what they need to be self-driven. They are free to compose their own pages without having to wait for developers implementing smaller changes. 

 

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Multi-locale architecture 

Ibexa’s multi-site and multi-locale capabilities allow OBO to run dozens of websites from one platform. Subsidiaries can adapt templates, add local content, and manage translations within a controlled environment. 

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Taxonomy-driven organization 

Ibexa’s taxonomy system powers advanced filtering and navigation for OBO’s “Know-How” content. This makes technical documentation and product guides easy to find, improving user experience and SEO. 

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Cross-platform integration 

Ibexa integrates with CRM, DAM, and custom portals via APIs and single sign-on. For example, product data flows from source systems into Ibexa, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information across all touchpoints. 

 

Scalable architecture for AI 

With Ibexa at the core, OBO can implement AI-powered translation and intelligent search without re-engineering the platform as part of their next steps.  

Richer – self service functionality - Portal Enhancements 

For logged in users the OBO website features self-service portal services that integrates with the myOBO application. Functionality such as creating your own projects with associated projects is available and can be stored, shared  with whole-salers and even downloaded for offline use.  

 

Key Results 

SEO success 

After migrating to Ibexa, OBO saw measurable improvements in organic visibility. Structured content and taxonomy-driven navigation aligned perfectly with SEO best practices. 

Enhanced user experience 

Subsidiaries will be able to create market-relevant content without compromising global standards. Customers benefit from localized experiences that feel authentic yet consistent. 

Global scalability 

OBO is ready to roll out 38 websites in 28 languages, supported by a platform that can grow with their business. 

 

What’s next for OBO? 

Rolling out new sites powered by Ibexa DXP 

OBO Bettermann will continue to roll out the rest of their regional websites in 2026, making sure they can reach the full potential of their digital strategy. 

AI-Assisted Translation 

Automating translation workflows while maintaining human review for technical and legal accuracy is under evaluation.

Intelligent Search 

AI-powered taxonomy search will make content discovery faster and more intuitive. 

Evolved self-service 

There are next steps planned for 2026 to further improve the self-service capabilities with a personalized dashboard aimed at deepening customer engagement. 

 

Conclusion 

By placing Ibexa at the center of its digital ecosystem, OBO Bettermann has transformed its global digital strategy. The platform acts as the foundation for innovation, enabling OBO to deliver consistent, localized, and intelligent digital experiences worldwide. 

 

Key Implementation Focus Areas leveraging Ibexa DXP: 

Ibexa DXP and its role Functional Role for the OBO Bettermann platform Business Impact 
Experience Powers the front-end user experience and supports the full customer journeyOBO Bettermann has a digital platform that is ready to adapt to their requirements, with advanced multi-site requirements.
Commerce Ibexa DXP is used as the central point for all customers to log in and do their necessary sales interactionsCustomer portal where they can do projects and build product lists.
Ibexa integrationIntegrates with custom 3rd party applications such as their own MyOBOCustomers have easy access via Ibexa DXP to the data in the myOBO app.
Architecture and Infrastucture Scaled to handle both centralized and local initiatives. Multi site with multi lingual set up.OBO can easily centralize important parts of the websites yet offer flexible local day - to day initiatives

 

Key takeaways

One, unified structure

All structured content is handled by Ibexa DXP , blending the results from the 3rd party systems including myOBO.

 

Faster publishing, less manual work

Editors have easy access to their own self-service operations.

 

Smarter workflows

Parts of the content is centralized, but editors can also individualize content per market.

 

Built to grow

A single platform which is ready to expand to handle the requirements of new customers.

 

AI technology was used as a supportive tool to assist with [drafting/brainstorming/summarization], while all final content was reviewed/refined by the Ibexa marketing team.