The verdict in three sentences
A custom MES (Manufacturing Execution System) for an 80-person London manufacturer costs between 70,000 and 200,000 EUR in 2026, with a 6 to 12 month timeline. A vendor MES lands in a comparable budget (license + integration of 50,000 to 150,000 EUR) but locks you into its modules. The main gain: +5 to +12 points of OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) thanks to real-time tracking of work orders and quality.
How much a custom MES costs in 2026
The budget depends on scope: simple work order tracking, or a full suite with traceability, quality management and machine data capture. 2026 order of magnitude for the London market.
| Scope | Key features | Price EUR | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential MES | Work orders, time tracking, shop-floor entry | 70,000 - 95,000 | 6 - 7 months |
| Standard MES | + Lot traceability, quality control, OEE | 100,000 - 150,000 | 7 - 10 months |
| Advanced MES | + Machine data capture (IoT), ERP integration, scheduling | 155,000 - 200,000 | 10 - 12 months |
| Vendor MES (comparison) | License + integration, fixed modules | 50,000 - 150,000 | 6 - 12 months |
| Annual maintenance | Enhancements, hosting, support | 15 - 20 % of build | Recurring |
| IoT sensors / gateways | Machine data capture hardware | 300 - 2,000/station | One-off |
With a vendor MES, recurring license costs (often 12-18 % per year) add up, whereas a custom MES remains your property.
What custom software saves you
The gains show up in OEE, scrap and responsiveness. Estimate for an 80-person industrial SME.
| Lever | Without MES | With custom MES | Estimated gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) | 60 - 70 % | 72 - 80 % | +5 to +12 pts |
| Scrap rate | 4 - 8 % | 1.5 - 3 % | -50 % |
| Lot-to-product traceability | Partial, on paper | Full, instant | Compliance |
| Time to trace a lot | 2 - 4 h | < 5 min | -95 % |
| Paper production entry | 1 - 2 h/shift/day | Real-time shop floor | -80 % |
Mini case study
Nathalie runs an 80-person industrial SME in London. Her production generates 6M EUR in revenue with an OEE of 64 %. A gain of 8 OEE points (to 72 %) raises production capacity by 12.5 % without a new machine, potentially 750,000 EUR of additional capacity. Even valuing just a quarter of it (margin on orders actually won), the gain exceeds 180,000 EUR/year. On a 150,000 EUR MES, the payback is under 12 months, before counting the scrap reduction.
FAQ
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What is OEE and why does it matter?
Overall equipment effectiveness measures availability x performance x quality. Going from 64 to 72 % frees capacity without investing in a new line: it is the main ROI lever of an MES.
Does the custom MES capture machine data?
Yes, via IoT sensors or gateways (300 to 2,000 EUR per station). You can start with shop-floor entry then automate capture machine by machine.
Custom MES or vendor MES?
At comparable budget, custom fits your exact flows and stays your property without recurring license. A vendor is faster to start but locks you into its modules.
Is traceability compliant with aerospace and food requirements?
Yes. Lot-by-lot, material and work-order traceability is built for audits; tracing a lot drops from several hours to under 5 minutes.
How long to a first result?
A work-order tracking and shop-floor entry version ships in 6 months, then traceability, quality and machine capture are added in iterations over 12 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your workshops, machine park and ERP for a precise estimate. 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.
