The verdict in three sentences
A manufacturer with 20 to 150 staff in Singapore can monitor production in real time with a custom MES at 45,000-110,000 EUR: work orders, machine monitoring, traceability and OEE indicators. The return comes from OEE (+5 to +12 points) and lower scrap, two levers worth tens of thousands per line. The typical timeline is 4 to 8 months depending on IoT/PLC integration; below that scope, an ERP with a shop-floor module is enough.
What an MES gains on the floor
| Lever | Typical 2026 gain | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| OEE | +5 to +12 points | Micro-stop detection |
| Scrap and non-quality | -15 to -30 % | Real-time drift alerts |
| Lot/serial traceability | Targeted recall | Product genealogy |
| Shop-floor data entry | -80 % paper | Touchscreen terminals |
| Scheduling | -20 % lateness | Fine sequencing |
A line producing 2 M EUR/year at 65 % OEE that gains 8 points reaches 73 %: that is about 246,000 EUR of extra capacity with no new machine.
Scope and pricing of a custom MES
| Module | Content | Effort (person-days) |
|---|---|---|
| Work orders | Release, progress tracking | 12-18 |
| Machine / IoT monitoring | PLCs, sensors, stops | 18-30 |
| OEE indicators | Real-time dashboards | 10-16 |
| Traceability | Lots, serials, genealogy | 12-20 |
| Quality | Checks, non-conformities | 10-16 |
| ERP integration | SAP, Dynamics | 12-22 |
A full MES totals 75 to 120 person-days. The 45,000-110,000 EUR range depends mainly on PLC connectivity (Siemens, Schneider) and the number of instrumented workstations.
Mini case study
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Thomas is operations director of a 60-person plastics manufacturer in Singapore. His main line generates 3.2 M EUR/year at 62 % OEE, with a 6.5 % scrap rate. A custom MES at 78,000 EUR gains 9 OEE points and cuts scrap to 4.5 %.
The OEE gain frees about 372,000 EUR of capacity/year and lower scrap saves about 64,000 EUR/year in material. Even valuing only 30 % of the freed capacity, payback is under 6 months.
FAQ
How much does PLC connection cost? IoT/PLC integration (Siemens S7, Modbus, OPC-UA) is 18 to 30 person-days, i.e. 12,000-24,000 EUR depending on the number of machines and protocols to interface.
How long to build a custom MES? A first scope (work orders + shop-floor entry + OEE) ships in 3 to 4 months. Full traceability and machine connectivity push the project to 4 to 8 months.
What does an OEE gain really earn? Each OEE point on a 2 M EUR/year line is worth about 30,000 EUR of capacity. An 8-point gain often exceeds 200,000 EUR/year with no machine investment.
MES or the ERP production module? Under 30 staff and with no machine instrumentation, an ERP shop-floor module is enough. As soon as you want real time, fine OEE and lot traceability, a custom MES becomes relevant.
Do we need to replace machines? No: most recent PLCs expose their data via OPC-UA or Modbus. Older machines connect with add-on sensors at 200-600 EUR/station.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of lines, your PLCs and your current OEE: we price an MES scoped to your capacity gains. 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.
