Minetek
Multi-site consolidation: four WordPress installs unified into one platform with clean metadata and bounded maintenance.
00 // Interface Preview
Desktop and mobile references
01 // Snapshot
OperatorGlobal industrial ventilation, sound, water, and power supplier
Inherited StructureFour parallel WordPress installs for one brand
Risk ClassSystemic (change-induced failure)
Observed Failure ModeCache and rewrites masking deeper corruption
TrajectoryCompounding maintenance cost and SEO drift
02 // Verdict
The platform functioned day-to-day but had crossed a structural threshold. Stabilization was required before any further scale or feature work could be justified. Most of the risk was invisible until change occurred.
03 // Structural Constraints
Fragmented InstallFour independent WordPress installs with separate users, plugins, and databases
Cache ConflictCache rewrite rules overriding runtime routing and destabilizing admin access
Template CouplingElementor used for page cloning instead of template-driven content
Plugin SprawlPlugin-created content types with unmanaged update parity
DuplicationForms and CRM logic duplicated across pages and installs
04 // Leverage Moves
Cache RemovalRemoved fatal cache rewrite routing that produced 500s and false stability
Access RestorationRestored admin access and isolated a corrupted install missing core WordPress tables
Control ConsolidationCollapsed redirects, navigation, and caching into a single control surface
Template ModelDefined a template-driven refactor model (page types → components → data)
05 // Evidence
Cache Corruption500 errors traced to cache rewrite rules serving WP-Rocket HTML exclusively
Payload BloatPayloads observed exceeding 30 MB per page load
Database Corruption/water/ install missing core WordPress tables (users and taxonomy among others)
06 // Ruled Out
Server CapacityServer capacity as the limiting factor (CPU, RAM, IO remained low)
Theme RenderingTheme rendering defects as the primary failure driver
Hosting UpgradesHosting upgrades as a meaningful fix
07 // Before / After
BeforeMultiple slow sites, conflicting redirects, admin coupled to cache state
AfterChange safety restored, blast radius bounded, refactor scope measurable
08 // Decision Log
Cache ChoiceLSCache preferred over WP-Rocket on LiteSpeed for deterministic behavior
DB ReconstructionNon-deterministic DB reconstruction explicitly avoided
Multisite StrategyMultisite deferred unless franchise-style publishing becomes a requirement
09 // Irreversible Outcomes
Admin DecouplingAdmin access decoupled from cache routing
Surface ReductionReduced update surface and fewer failure points per deployment
Single SourceSingle source of truth established for routing and content structure
10 // Status
Stabilization phase completed and later superseded by a heavier rebuild once risk was removed and scope expanded.
Role: External technical lead.
Mandate: Restore control, reduce risk, define next phase.
