The verdict in three sentences
A market MES/APS provides a solid scheduling base but imposes its routing and constraint model. A custom tool (60,000 to 180,000 EUR) is justified when your production constraints (tooling, changeovers, variable rates) don't fit a standard. The gain is measured in OEE points and held service level, not interface comfort.
Off-the-shelf MES/APS or custom
Market suites are powerful but heavy to configure and billed per site/user. Custom models your real shop floor and integrates with the ERP without overlay.
| Criterion | Market MES/APS | Custom solution |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 40,000-120,000 EUR + licenses | 60,000-180,000 EUR |
| Annual licenses | 15,000-50,000 EUR | Hosting 200-600 EUR/month |
| Scheduling | Standard configurable | Tailored to your constraints |
| Machine/tooling constraints | Generic | Custom |
| Real-time shop-floor tracking | Module | Integrated |
| ERP/MRP integration | Connectors | Native |
| Deployment time | 6-12 months | 5-9 months |
On one site, a market MES's annual licenses (15,000 to 50,000 EUR) eventually exceed the carrying cost of a custom solution.
What planning wins on OEE
OEE (availability x performance x quality) is the industrial arbiter. Every point recovered is free capacity.
| Lever | Estimated 2026 effect | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Optimized scheduling | +3 to +7 pts OEE | Capacity without CAPEX |
| Fewer changeovers | -20 to -35 % setup time | More runs/day |
| Real-time shop-floor tracking | -25 % unseen incidents | Responsiveness |
| Service level | from 88 % to 96-98 % | Penalties avoided |
| WIP reduction | -15 to -30 % | Cash flow |
| Capacity planning | -10 % overtime | Labor cost |
*2026 orders of magnitude, depending on shop type and product mix.*
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Mini case study
Éric is industrial director of a precision-machining SME in Annecy: 3 lines, average OEE at 68 %, service level at 89 %. His custom planning software at 125,000 EUR optimizes scheduling and cuts changeover times by 28 %. OEE climbs to 75 %, or +7 points of capacity on 6.2 M EUR of production revenue. That recovered capacity, valued at contribution margin, represents about 290,000 EUR of extra output per year with no machine investment. The project pays back in under 12 months.
FAQ
Is custom better than a recognized MES vendor? A vendor MES is excellent if your processes fit its model. Once you have tooling constraints, variable rates or specific changeover rules, custom avoids months of forced configuration.
How do you actually gain OEE? Through scheduling that minimizes changeovers, groups compatible orders and anticipates bottlenecks. Real-time shop-floor tracking exposes incidents so you react before delays cascade.
Does it integrate with our ERP/MRP? Yes. Work orders, routings, bills of materials and production declarations sync in real time, avoiding double entry and component-stock discrepancies.
How long to deploy on one site? Plan 5 to 9 months: modeling routings and constraints, building the scheduler, then a dry run before switchover. A pilot site validates gains before multi-site rollout.
What ROI to expect? Each OEE point gained is capacity without CAPEX. On a multi-million production-revenue site, 5 to 7 OEE points often mean 200,000 to 400,000 EUR of extra annual output.
Let's scope your project. Describe line count, current OEE, changeover constraints and ERP/MRP: we'll price planning software between 60,000 and 180,000 EUR focused on OEE. 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.
