The verdict in three sentences
A Berlin plant with 150 to 400 assets run on spreadsheets and paper work orders absorbs 6 to 12% unplanned downtime, while one hour of line stoppage costs EUR 2,000 to 15,000. An off-the-shelf CMMS at EUR 50 to 150 per technician per month is enough for a standard asset base, but a custom CMMS at EUR 30,000 to 80,000 pays off once preventive plans, spare parts and shop-floor reporting must fit your lines. Gaining 2 availability points on a critical line usually pays back the project in under 12 months.
Off-the-shelf or custom CMMS: the real comparison
The choice depends less on licence price than on technician adoption. A CMMS nobody fills in from the shop floor produces no reliable history, and therefore no relevant preventive plan.
| Criterion | Excel and paper | SaaS CMMS | Custom CMMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 | EUR 2,000 to 10,000 set-up | EUR 30,000 to 80,000 |
| Annual cost (12 technicians) | EUR 0 (but 8 to 12 h/week of data entry) | EUR 7,200 to 21,600 | EUR 4,000 to 9,000 (hosting, maintenance) |
| Time to go live | Immediate | 1 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months |
| Mobile work orders | No | Yes, generic screens | Yes, tailored to your stations |
| PLC link, hour meters | No | Often a paid add-on | Built in for your equipment |
| Spare parts and thresholds | Separate sheet | Standard module | Linked to plans and suppliers |
| Data ownership | Yes | Vendor contract | Full |
Over 5 years, a SaaS CMMS for 12 technicians costs EUR 36,000 to 108,000 before set-up. Custom sits in the same range, but the tool fits your organisation instead of the reverse.
Target availability gain and its value
The core of a custom CMMS: preventive plans triggered by time or meter, smartphone work orders with a QR code on every machine, photos and time logged in 30 seconds, critical spare parts with alert thresholds, and an OEE dashboard per line.
| Indicator | Before (estimate) | After 12 months (target) | Annual value on a line at EUR 6,000 per downtime hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unplanned downtime | 9% of operating time | 6% | 3 points on 4,000 h = 120 h, i.e. EUR 720,000 |
| Preventive share of interventions | 25% | 55% | Fewer cascading failures |
| Mean time to repair (MTTR) | 3.5 h | 2.2 h | Parts found first time |
| Critical part stock-outs | 8 per year | 2 per year | 6 long stoppages avoided |
| Admin entry time | 10 h per week | 3 h per week | 350 technician hours freed |
| Spare parts inventory | EUR 420,000 | EUR 340,000 | EUR 80,000 cash released |
These are 2026 orders of magnitude to recalculate with your actual downtime cost. Even with a gain of just 1 point, a line at EUR 6,000 per hour recovers EUR 240,000 a year.
Mini case study
Katrin is maintenance manager at a food plant on the edge of Berlin: 280 assets, 3 lines, 14 technicians, estimated downtime cost of EUR 4,500 per hour on the packaging line. Unplanned stoppages represent 8% of 4,200 operating hours, or 336 hours.
She commissions a custom CMMS for EUR 52,000 (preventive, mobile work orders with QR codes, spare parts, OEE dashboard), delivered in 4 months, plus EUR 550 monthly maintenance. Target at 12 months: 6%, so 84 fewer downtime hours and EUR 378,000 of production saved. Even if only a quarter of that gain materialises, EUR 94,500, the project pays back in about 7 months.
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FAQ
How much does a custom CMMS for a plant cost in 2026?
Expect EUR 30,000 to 80,000 depending on assets, sites and integrations. A first version focused on preventive maintenance and mobile work orders starts around EUR 25,000.
Must the CMMS connect to PLCs?
Not at first. Hour meters can be entered by QR code, then fed automatically in phase 2 for EUR 8,000 to 20,000 depending on protocols.
Will technicians actually use it?
That is the first success factor. A work order closes in under 30 seconds on a smartphone, and we co-design screens with 2 or 3 technicians during the first 3 weeks.
Can we import our existing Excel history?
Yes, migrating assets, plans and parts is usually included, for 2 to 5 days of work. Three years of history is enough to calibrate the first plans.
Is a custom CMMS eligible for funding?
Regional digitalisation programmes and depreciation rules for industrial investment may apply depending on your situation. Check with your tax adviser before signing.
Let's scope your project. Share your asset count, technician headcount and downtime cost, and we will scope a CMMS between EUR 30,000 and 80,000 with a 3 to 5 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.
