HANEKE DESIGN COMPLETES COMPREHENSIVE PRODUCT CREATION FOR GERDAU WITH CUSTOM BRANDING & WEB DESIGN

Haneke Design has transformed Gerdau’s driver check-in process with a tailored mill-specific solution. Haneke Design then spearheaded the creation of a distinctive product brand identity and custom web design, providing Gerdau with a comprehensive suite of services to enhance their operations.

Background

In 2019, Gerdau enlisted Haneke Design to develop a solution for their Cartersville, GA steel mill that would improve the driver check-in process. Haneke Design designed and developed a mobile app experience, reducing many friction points of the driver check-in process. 

Due to the success of the Cartersville, GA solution, Gerdau Corporate asked Haneke Design to modify and scale the existing application to support all of Gerdau’s mills across the country. 

With so many mills planning to utilize this application, Haneke Design recommended establishing a defined product brand, as well as a central hub, or website, to facilitate communication and collaboration around the application.

Logo Design

Leveraging Gerdau’s established brand guidelines, and armed with a solid understanding of the application’s user personas and functionalities, the Haneke Design team was well equipped to take on the challenge.

“My primary focus when creating the logo concept was to maintain a similar look and feel as the Gerdau brand, while also representing the application’s purpose,” explains James DeMass, Senior Designer at Haneke Design.

After iterative feedback sessions with the Gerdau team, Haneke Design tuned the design direction, culminating in a final logo. Additionally, the team crafted a series of icons that aligned with the brand identity and were tailored for application-specific use.

Custom Web Design & Development

To support a seamless integration of the Gerdau Driver Check-in application across all mills, Haneke Design recommended creating a centralized hub to facilitate communication and knowledge-sharing among mill employees.

The platform would need to include features that streamlined the process for suggesting new functionalities, reporting problems, and brainstorming innovative application implementations.

The Haneke Design team first mapped out the website’s architecture and defined essential page types. This ensured a seamless flow of information, enabling Gerdau mill workers to effectively integrate the application into their daily processes.

Next, the design process took shape, beginning with the creation of essential page templates. Using Elementor, a responsive page builder platform for WordPress, the Haneke team brought the design to life. Page builders, like Elementor, are becoming increasingly popular as they make it possible to build a design-first, no-code website, all the way from design to deployment.

The final crucial step involved comprehensive Quality Assurance testing, a process central to Haneke Design’s commitment to delivering solutions that not only impress, but also provide an exceptional user experience.

“When creating any solution, whether it be an application or a website, we always pay extra attention to the user experience. You can create a beautifully designed site, but if the user gets frustrated or has trouble navigating the site, the design doesn’t really matter,” says Jason Rivers, Haneke’s Director of Design.

The resulting Gerdau Driver Connection website  stands as a central nexus for mill employees. It empowers users to submit maintenance requests, offer feature suggestions, and engage in meaningful discussions through the User Forum, further enhancing collaboration and efficiency across the Gerdau network.

About Gerdau

More than 120 years ago, Gerdau was a small family-run factory. Now, the company is a multinational steel manufacturer.

Gerdau is a leading long steel producer in the Americas and one of the world’s major suppliers of specialty steel. Their core business is to transform steel scrap and iron ore into steel products, including carbon steel, long special steel, flat steel and forged and cast parts.

Gerdau Long Steel North America is Headquartered in Tampa, Florida and is a leader in mini-mill steel production and steel recycling.

About Haneke Design

Haneke Design’s mission is to provide clients with a team of passionate innovators dedicated to harnessing the full potential of digital technologies to amaze and delight end users.

By leveraging the latest advancements in technology and staying at the forefront of industry trends, Haneke Design empowers businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Haneke Design was at the forefront of mobile application design and development from the day the iPhone was introduced, and continues to be an industry-recognized resource for custom software creation across all connected devices and browsers.

Contact us to learn more about the variety of solutions we can provide to help your organization reach its full potential!