The verdict in three sentences
In a dairy plant with 420 assets, every point of unplanned downtime you recover is worth more than the yearly price of any CMMS. An off-the-shelf CMMS is enough if your clean-in-place (CIP) cycles stay managed separately in SCADA. Once you want CIP, run-hour counters, spare parts and HACCP traceability on a single screen, a custom tool pays back in under two years.
The starting point: 7% unplanned downtime
The maintenance manager of a dairy plant on the outskirts of Dublin runs four packing lines (UHT milk, cream, yoghurt, butter), a spray dryer and a central CIP station. Preventive jobs live in a shared spreadsheet, work orders are on paper, and the spare parts store sits in the ERP with no link to the assets. The outcome is 7% unplanned downtime on packing lines, while well-run dairies sit around 2 to 3%.
CIP adds a constraint specific to dairy. Each cycle (pre-rinse, caustic, rinse, acid, final rinse) is recorded by the PLC, yet nobody cross-checks it with wear on seals, valves and pumps. A butterfly valve leaking during a caustic cycle is both a food safety issue under HACCP and a health and safety issue.
| Indicator | Today | 18-month target |
|---|---|---|
| Assets tracked | 420, 180 of them critical | 420, criticality rated A/B/C |
| Preventive jobs per year | 1,400, 68% done on time | 1,400, 92% on time |
| Unplanned downtime (packing) | 7% of planned run time | 3.5% |
| CIP cycles logged | 100% in the PLC, 0% linked to assets | 100% linked to valves and pumps |
| Spare parts stock value | EUR 500,000 | EUR 410,000 |
| Stock-outs on critical parts | 9 per year | 2 per year |
| Work order admin time | 25 min per technician per day | 8 min, on a tablet |
Off-the-shelf CMMS or custom tool: the numbers
SaaS CMMS products cover the core well: asset hierarchy, preventive plans, work orders, stores. In 2026 the ballpark is EUR 50 to 120 per user per month, plus configuration fees. For 22 users (technicians, planning, storekeeper, quality), that is EUR 13,000 to 32,000 a year. The gap shows up on CIP and quality: most vendors offer a generic connector, rarely a per-circuit reading of caustic and acid cycles.
| Criterion | SaaS CMMS | Kolonell custom tool |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | Configuration EUR 5,000 to 15,000 (2026 ballpark) | Medium app 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670) or complex 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870+) |
| Recurring cost | EUR 50 to 120 per user per month | Maintenance 35,000 / 75,000 / 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 53 / 114 / 183) |
| Link to CIP cycles | Generic connector, often an add-on | Cycle data per circuit, alert per valve |
| HACCP traceability | Separate export | Batch record linked to work on the line |
| Spare parts | Standard module | Min stock driven by criticality and supplier lead time |
| Technician mobility | Vendor app | Offline tablet app with photo and sign-off |
| Data ownership | Vendor contract | Code and database handed over |
Custom only makes sense with a clear scope. A plant this size is usually a medium-complexity app for the CMMS core, and a complex one once you add live PLC data and batch traceability. Hosting and the ERP connection are priced in the quote.
What to put in the specification
Four points matter in food manufacturing. First, a hierarchy by line, then machine, then component (pump, valve, seal) so failure history is usable. Second, preventive plans triggered by counters (run hours, number of CIP cycles), not just by calendar. Third, offline mobile entry, because Wi-Fi rarely reaches cold rooms. Fourth, MTBF and MTTR per line, visible to the site director without exports.
Mini case study
Aoife, maintenance manager at the plant, runs the numbers. Planned run time on packing lines is 6,000 hours a year. Cutting unplanned downtime from 7% to 3.5% frees 210 hours. With a contribution margin estimated at EUR 900 per line hour, the gain is EUR 189,000 a year. On stores, bringing stock from EUR 500,000 to 410,000 frees EUR 90,000 of cash, about EUR 22,500 a year in avoided holding cost (25%).
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Against that, a complex app at the top of the range, 15,000,000 FCFA (EUR 22,870), plus 120,000 FCFA (EUR 183) monthly maintenance, which is EUR 2,196 a year. Even if she halves the downtime gain to stay conservative, payback is counted in months.
FAQ
How long does it take to roll out a CMMS across 420 assets?
Allow 8 to 14 weeks for a medium-complexity custom tool, including 3 to 4 weeks of asset survey and coding. That survey work is the same with an off-the-shelf CMMS.
Can CIP cycles be read straight from the PLCs?
Yes, through OPC UA or an existing historian, if the PLC supports it. The exact scope and cost of that connection are set in the quote after a review of your control architecture.
Does a CMMS help with BRCGS or FSSC 22000 audits?
It provides the maintenance history on product-contact equipment and the cleaning evidence. On an annual audit, that usually saves 2 to 3 days of document gathering.
What if we change provider later?
With a custom build, the source code and database belong to you. Technical documentation is delivered with the project so another team can take over.
Will technicians actually use tablets?
Adoption depends on entry time: under 2 minutes per work order, with photo and sign-off, completion rates usually exceed 90% after a month.
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of lines and critical assets and we will scope the CMMS and CIP perimeter with a rollout plan in weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
