The verdict in three sentences
In a food processing plant with 220 employees and 140 critical assets, every hour of line downtime costs thousands of euros and a CMMS pays off fast. A SaaS CMMS at EUR 40 to 90 per user per month fits if your processes are standard; a custom CMMS at EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT is the right call when you must match hygiene constraints, your PLCs and your ERP. Either way, the realistic target is +6% line availability within 12 months, provided you deploy in 3 to 5 months with the technicians on board.
SaaS or custom CMMS: five-year cost
The number of users makes all the difference: technicians, shift leads, storekeeper, quality, production. For a plant this size, plan 15 to 25 accounts.
| Item (2026 estimate) | SaaS CMMS | Custom CMMS |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription per user per month | EUR 40 to 90 | EUR 0 |
| Annual cost for 20 users | EUR 9,600 to 21,600 | EUR 0 |
| Setup and configuration | EUR 5,000 to 15,000 | Included in the build |
| Initial development | EUR 0 | EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT |
| Hosting and maintenance | Included | EUR 9,000 to 14,000 per year |
| Five-year cumulative cost (mid-range) | EUR 85,000 to 95,000 | EUR 110,000 to 125,000 |
| PLC and ERP integration | Limited connectors, often paid | Tailored, real-time data |
| Rollout time | 2 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months |
SaaS is cheaper over five years if you use it as is. Custom takes the lead when automatic PLC feeds (hour counters, alarms) and ERP integration remove data entry at scale.
Modules that win back availability
A useful CMMS in food processing goes beyond a work log. Here are the priority modules and their expected effect.
| Module | Indicative budget excl. VAT (custom) | Expected effect |
|---|---|---|
| Asset register and hierarchy | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 | Full history per machine |
| Preventive maintenance plans (calendar, meters) | EUR 8,000 to 15,000 | Unplanned breakdowns -25 to 35% |
| Requests and work orders on mobile | EUR 7,000 to 12,000 | Response time halved |
| Spare parts and stock thresholds | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 | Tied-up stock -15%, stockouts avoided |
| Hygiene constraints (cleaning, food-grade lubricants, HACCP) | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 | Traceability ready for IFS and BRC audits |
| PLC feeds and OEE, MTBF, MTTR indicators | EUR 10,000 to 20,000 | Real-time availability management |
| ERP interface (purchasing, costs) | EUR 5,000 to 14,000 | Maintenance cost per line with no re-keying |
Rollout follows 4 steps: inventory and criticality of the 140 assets (4 to 6 weeks), preventive plan setup, technician training on tablets, then 3 months of indicator tracking.
Mini case study
Stéphane, maintenance manager of a 220-employee ready-meals plant in Brittany, oversees 140 critical assets across 5 lines. Unplanned stops total about 380 hours a year and lost margin is estimated at EUR 2,800 per hour of line downtime, or EUR 1,064,000 a year.
With a custom CMMS at EUR 72,000 excl. VAT, connected to PLCs and the ERP, the plant targets +6% availability, roughly 25% fewer unplanned stops: 95 hours recovered, or EUR 266,000 of margin preserved per year. Even with a conservative assumption of half that (EUR 133,000), the investment and EUR 12,000 of annual maintenance are covered in under 8 months.
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FAQ
How many users should a 220-employee plant plan for?
Usually 15 to 25: technicians, shift leads, storekeeper, quality and management. In SaaS, that is EUR 7,200 to 27,000 a year depending on the per-user price.
Does a CMMS help with IFS or BRC audits?
Yes. It traces interventions in production areas, food-grade lubricants used and equipment release after cleaning. Audit document preparation often drops from 5 days to 1 or 2.
Can line PLCs be connected?
Yes, via OPC UA, Modbus or an existing SCADA gateway. This module costs EUR 10,000 to 20,000 excl. VAT and feeds hour counters and alarms in real time.
How long before gains show?
First effects (fewer repeat failures, better parts management) appear within 3 to 6 months. The +6% availability target is measured over 12 months.
Will technicians adopt it?
Adoption depends on mobile entry: under 60 seconds to close a work order. Plan 2 half-day training sessions and one champion per shift.
Let's scope your project. Preventive plans, spare parts, PLC and ERP integration: we scope your CMMS with an indicative budget of EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT and a 3 to 5 month rollout. 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.
