The verdict in three sentences
A custom MES (Manufacturing Execution System) for a Berlin SME costs between EUR 75,000 and 170,000 over 5 to 9 months. Its core is real-time shop-floor data capture: work orders, machine time, incidents and quality recorded at the source. A well-deployed MES delivers on average 8 OEE points, which, on a loaded line, is worth several hundred thousand euros of capacity per year.
MES modules
The MES bridges the ERP (the what) and the shop floor (the real how). Here are the bricks priced for a Berlin quote.
| Module | What it does | Build range 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Work orders | Release, tracking, progress | EUR 12,000-26,000 |
| OEE & machine time | Availability, performance, quality | EUR 15,000-32,000 |
| Traceability | Lots, components, genealogy | EUR 12,000-28,000 |
| Shop-floor quality | Checks, non-conformities, SPC | EUR 12,000-26,000 |
| Data capture | Terminals, IoT, operator entry | EUR 10,000-24,000 |
| Scheduling & KPI | Load, planning, dashboards | EUR 10,000-22,000 |
Data capture and integration
An MES is only as good as its data capture reliability. Terminal choice and machine connectivity weigh on the budget.
| Item | Detail 2026 | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| Rugged shop-floor terminals | EUR 600-1,200/station | x station count |
| Machine connection (IoT/OPC-UA) | Sensors, gateways | EUR 8,000-25,000 |
| ERP integration | Work orders, BOMs, stocks | EUR 12,000-28,000 |
| Operator app | Touch, offline | included in build |
| Annual maintenance | 12-18% of build | recurring |
| Hosting & supervision | Cloud or on-premise | context-dependent |
ROI: OEE as the compass
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measures what your equipment truly produces vs its potential. Every point gained is free capacity.
| Indicator | Before MES | After MES (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| OEE | 62% | 70% (+8 pts) |
| Entry time/work order | 8-12 min | < 2 min |
| Scrap / non-quality | base 100 | 80-88 |
| Breakdown detection delay | hours | minutes |
| Production data reliability | 70% | > 95% |
Mini case study
Sophie is industrial director of a Berlin SME: a key line running at 62% OEE, generating EUR 6,000,000 of produced value/yr. An MES at EUR 130,000 plus EUR 20,000/yr maintenance lifts OEE to 70%, i.e. +8 pts of capacity. Those 8 points represent about +EUR 774,000 of potential produced value/yr (6,000,000 / 0.62 x 0.08). Even converting only a third of that gain into real revenue, the MES pays back in under a year.
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FAQ
MES or just the ERP's production module?
The ERP plans and values; it doesn't finely capture the shop floor in real time. The MES catches OEE, incidents and quality at the source, where the ERP only aggregates after the fact.
Do we have to connect every machine?
No, prioritize the bottlenecks. An IoT/OPC-UA connection on critical machines often captures most of the OEE; other stations use operator entry.
How long to deploy an MES?
From 5 to 9 months. We often start with work orders and OEE on a pilot line, then extend to the shop floor and add traceability and quality.
How do you measure the real OEE gain?
By comparing OEE before/after on the same line, broken down into availability, performance and quality. Each point pinpoints a concrete loss source to fix.
Does the MES work during a network outage?
Yes, the operator app is offline-first: entry continues locally and re-syncs. In manufacturing, no production data loss is acceptable.
Let's scope your project. Specify your line count, the machines to connect and your priorities (OEE, traceability, quality) for a target budget of EUR 75,000 to 170,000. 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.
