The verdict in three sentences
For a food plant near Dublin with 180 assets, a custom CMMS priced at EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. VAT usually pays back in 12 to 20 months if it brings unplanned downtime from 6% to 4%. An off-the-shelf SaaS CMMS still makes sense below 15 technicians and without heavy BRCGS or FSSAI-style traceability needs. Beyond that, integration with line supervision, IoT sensors and a mobile technician app is what makes the difference.
SaaS or custom: what an Irish plant really pays in 2026
SaaS CMMS vendors charge per user. With a team of 18 (technicians, planners, maintenance manager), the bill climbs fast, especially once IoT or multi-site modules are added. Custom development flips the logic: a heavier upfront investment, then predictable application maintenance.
| Criterion | Standard SaaS CMMS | Custom CMMS |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 0 to 5,000 setup | EUR 35,000 to 80,000 |
| Recurring cost | EUR 50 to 120 per user per month | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 per year maintenance |
| 5-year cost (18 users) | EUR 54,000 to 130,000 | EUR 65,000 to 140,000 |
| Supervision integration (SCADA, PLCs) | Limited or paid connector | Native, built for your lines |
| BRCGS/IFS traceability (cleaning, allergens) | Generic | Custom forms and audit trails |
| Ownership of data and code | Vendor | Plant |
| Time to go live | 1 to 2 months | 4 to 6 months |
Over 5 years the total cost gap is small. What decides it is the fit with food industry constraints: cleaning schedules, lockout procedures, metal detector checks and an audit-proof history when a retail customer visits.
The functional scope that actually reduces downtime
A useful CMMS is more than a work order log. The gains come from preventive maintenance triggered by real machine usage and from instant feedback from the shop floor.
| Module | Indicative 2026 budget (EUR excl. VAT) | Measurable effect |
|---|---|---|
| 180-asset register + line hierarchy | 5,000 to 9,000 | Reliable base for every KPI |
| Calendar and condition-based preventive | 7,000 to 14,000 | 30 to 50% more planned interventions |
| Mobile technician app (offline, photos, QR codes) | 8,000 to 18,000 | Real-time entry, 20 to 40 min saved per technician per day |
| Spare parts stock and thresholds | 4,000 to 9,000 | Fewer stock-outs on critical parts |
| IoT sensors (vibration, temperature) | 150 to 400 per machine | Early detection on critical assets |
| OEE, MTBF, MTTR dashboards | 5,000 to 12,000 | Monthly steering per line |
| BRCGS/IFS traceability and audit exports | 4,000 to 10,000 | Audits prepared in hours, not days |
There is no need to fit sensors to all 180 machines. In practice, 25 to 40 critical assets (cookers, packaging lines, refrigeration compressors) account for most costly stops. At EUR 300 per machine, 35 instrumented points come to about EUR 10,500.
Mini case study
Siobhan, maintenance manager at a ready-meals plant outside Dublin, records 6% unplanned downtime over 4,800 production hours a year, or 288 hours. Each hour of downtime costs about EUR 1,600 (idle labour, material losses, overtime): EUR 460,800 a year.
She picks a custom CMMS at EUR 62,000 plus 35 IoT sensors (EUR 10,500), EUR 72,500 in total. Conservative assumption: downtime down 25%, so 72 hours avoided and EUR 115,200 saved per year. After EUR 9,000 of annual maintenance, the net gain is EUR 106,200. Payback: about 8 months. Even with only a 15% reduction, payback stays under 14 months.
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FAQ
How much does a custom CMMS for a food plant cost in 2026?
Budget EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. VAT depending on modules, plus EUR 6,000 to 12,000 a year for maintenance. IoT sensors add EUR 150 to 400 per instrumented machine.
How long does it take to go live?
Typically 4 to 6 months: 3 to 4 weeks of scoping, 3 to 4 months of development in releases, then 3 weeks of data migration and training. A first release (asset register and preventive plans) can run from month 3.
Can we keep our current SaaS CMMS and add custom pieces?
Yes, if the vendor exposes an API. You then only build the mobile app or dashboards, for EUR 15,000 to 30,000. Above 20 users, cumulative licence fees often justify a full switch.
What downtime reduction is realistic?
Well-run projects see unplanned downtime fall by 20 to 35% within 12 to 18 months. The result depends mostly on shop-floor data entry discipline, which is why a simple mobile app matters.
Does the CMMS help with BRCGS and IFS audits?
Yes: time-stamped intervention history, signed cleaning plans and critical equipment checks export in minutes. Quality managers estimate they save 2 to 4 days of preparation per audit.
Let's scope your project. Send us your asset list, current downtime rate and audit constraints, and we will price a custom CMMS between EUR 35,000 and 80,000 with a 4 to 6 month plan. 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.
