The verdict in three sentences
For a quarry loading 300 to 1,500 trucks a week, the gap between the weighed tonnage, the delivery docket and the invoice is the first margin leak, often 1 to 3% of revenue. Custom software connected directly to the weighbridge indicator costs EUR 60,000 to 120,000 in 2026, depending on the number of modules and the state of the weighing hardware. For a quarry invoicing EUR 15 to 25 million a year, recovering just 1% repays the project in 12 to 24 months.
Where a Dublin-area quarry leaks margin
From north County Dublin to Kildare and Meath, the flow is almost always the same: the truck arrives, is weighed empty, loaded, weighed again, then the weighbridge operator prints a ticket and fills in a docket. Later, someone re-keys tickets into a spreadsheet or an accounting package, and invoices go out at month end. Every hand-off is a chance to lose tonnes or money without any fraud: an outdated tare or a lost ticket is enough.
| Leak point | Mechanism | Estimated loss (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Outdated tare | Truck tare frozen for months while body and fuel vary | 0.3 to 0.8% of tonnage |
| Manually re-keyed ticket | Typo or ticket lost between weighbridge and accounts | 0.2 to 0.5% of revenue |
| Exit without loaded weighing | Truck bypasses the weighbridge on busy days | 0.3 to 1% of tonnage |
| Credit limit not enforced | Delivery to a customer already over limit | 2 to 6% of receivables go overdue |
| Wrong grade invoiced | Clause 804 delivered, 20 mm invoiced, or vice versa | 0.1 to 0.4% of revenue |
| Reconstructed extraction figures | Planning and levy returns built from incomplete spreadsheets | Compliance risk |
The common thread: the weight exists in the indicator, but it never reaches the invoice untouched.
What the software does, module by module
The principle is simple: the weight is read directly from the indicator (RS232 serial or Ethernet), linked to the registration plate, customer and product, then passed without re-keying to the invoice and the stock ledger.
| Module | Function | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Weighbridge interface | Automatic weight capture, dynamic tare, tamper-proof timestamped ticket | 6,000 to 15,000 |
| Tablet delivery dockets | Driver signature, ANPR or plate photo, QR code | 9,000 to 16,000 |
| Credit and customer accounts | Per-customer limit, automatic block at the weighbridge, email or SMS reminders | 8,000 to 15,000 |
| Stock by grade | Dust, 10 mm, 20 mm, 40 mm, Clause 804: crusher output and sales | 9,000 to 18,000 |
| Invoicing and payments | Automatic invoices, card, SEPA and account customers | 8,000 to 16,000 |
| Extraction and compliance reporting | Tonnes extracted and sold, returns for planning conditions and levies | 6,000 to 12,000 |
| Management dashboard | Daily tonnage, revenue, weighbridge-to-invoice variances, top customers | 6,000 to 10,000 |
Secure hosting costs EUR 250 to 600 a month. An offline mode runs at the weighbridge: tickets are stored locally and synchronised as soon as the network returns, which matters on sites where mobile coverage is patchy.
Custom build or off-the-shelf weighbridge package?
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf package | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 25,000 to 60,000 in licences and integrator fees | EUR 60,000 to 120,000 |
| Annual cost | 15 to 22% maintenance | EUR 3,000 to 7,200 hosting, optional support contract |
| Card and account payments | Often an extra module | Built in |
| Credit control with reminders | Missing or paid add-on | Built in |
| Irish planning and levy returns | Generic exports | Configured |
| Offline operation | Depends on vendor | Designed in from day one |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
| Go-live time | 2 to 4 months | 3 to 5 months |
An off-the-shelf package still suits a small quarry that only needs clean tickets. Once credit control, multiple payment methods and grade-level stock tracking come into play, custom software becomes cheaper over five years.
Mini case study
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Ciarán, managing director of a limestone quarry in north County Dublin, weighs 600 trucks a week at 25 tonnes on average: 15,000 tonnes a week and about 720,000 tonnes over 48 weeks. At an average EUR 14 per tonne ex-quarry, revenue reaches EUR 10.1 million. A three-week audit estimates leakage at 1.5%, or EUR 151,000 a year.
He invests EUR 85,000 in the software and EUR 10,000 in the indicator interface, plus EUR 450 a month in hosting, or EUR 5,400 a year. If he recovers just 1 point out of 1.5, the gain reaches EUR 101,000 a year. Net gain: about EUR 95,600, for a payback of roughly 12 months.
FAQ
Will the software work with my current weighbridge indicator?
Most recent indicators have a usable RS232 or Ethernet output. The interface costs EUR 6,000 to 15,000 depending on the model; a very old indicator can be replaced for EUR 2,500 to 5,000.
What happens when the internet drops at the quarry?
The weighbridge station keeps working offline and stores up to 7 days of tickets. A backup 4G router, around EUR 250, further limits outages.
How long does deployment take?
Allow 3 to 5 months: 3 weeks of on-site scoping, 10 to 14 weeks of development, then 2 to 4 weeks running in parallel with the old process.
Are weighbridge tickets legally defensible with customers?
Each ticket is timestamped, tamper-proof and backed by a plate photo and driver signature. The weighbridge itself must still be verified under legal metrology rules; software does not replace that verification.
Can the project be paid in instalments?
Yes, payment usually follows milestones, for example 40% at kick-off, 40% at acceptance and 20% after one month in production.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your weekly truck volume, your weighbridge indicator and your product grades, and we will scope a budget between EUR 60,000 and 120,000 with a realistic go-live date. 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.
