The verdict in three sentences
A custom production management software for a manufacturing SME in Berlin lands between 40,000 and 90,000 EUR in 2026, versus a market MES billed at 15,000 to 45,000 EUR/year in licences. Custom wins as soon as your work orders and shop-floor tracking don't fit a standard package's boxes. Budget 6 to 9 months of project time and a payback in 12 to 18 months through reduced unproductive time.
Custom vs market MES: the numbers
A generic MES (Manufacturing Execution System) imposes its model. Custom software matches your routings, your disruptions and your machine fleet. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for a 40-to-120-person shop.
| Criterion | Custom Kolonell | Market MES (SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 40,000-90,000 EUR | 8,000-20,000 EUR (setup) |
| Annual licences | 0 (you own the code) | 15,000-45,000 EUR/year |
| 5-year cost | 55,000-115,000 EUR | 83,000-245,000 EUR |
| Routing/WO adaptation | Total | Limited to planned fields |
| Real-time machine tracking | Included (sensors/API) | Optional module |
| Rollout time | 6-9 months | 3-5 months |
| Reversibility | Code delivered, no lock-in | Vendor dependency |
Over 5 years, the gap clearly favours custom once the MES licence exceeds 20,000 EUR/year, a common threshold for a multi-station shop.
What the budget actually covers
The quote isn't only development. Here is the typical breakdown of a 65,000 EUR project.
| Item | Share of budget | Indicative amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and routing modelling | 12% | 7,800 EUR |
| Work order (WO) module | 26% | 16,900 EUR |
| Shop-floor tracking and time logging | 22% | 14,300 EUR |
| Machine / IoT interfaces | 18% | 11,700 EUR |
| Dashboards and traceability | 12% | 7,800 EUR |
| Acceptance, training, deployment | 10% | 6,500 EUR |
Machine interfaces are the most variable item: a recent fleet exposes standard APIs, an older fleet requires custom gateways.
Mini case study
Markus, operations director of a precision-machining SME in Berlin (85 staff, 3 lines), loses on average 2 hours per operator per week to paper entry and information hunting. Across 40 operators, that's 80 h/week, roughly 3,400 h/year valued at 32 EUR/loaded hour = 108,800 EUR/year of unproductive time.
A custom software at 65,000 EUR that cuts this time by 15% saves 16,320 EUR in year one, then every year with no licences. Adding the scrap reduction from traceability, Markus reaches break-even in 14 months.
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FAQ
Do we have to replace our existing ERP?
No. The production software connects to your ERP (SAP Business One, Sage, DATEV) via API to pull bills of materials and push back consumption. Budget 4,000 to 9,000 EUR for this integration.
How long before we see shop-floor results?
First traceability gains appear at go-live, within 6 to 9 months. The -15% unproductive time is usually measured after 3 to 4 months of stabilised use.
Can we connect older machines?
Yes, via gateways (PLCs, sensors, OPC-UA or Modbus reads). The extra cost depends on the fleet: from 1,500 EUR per recent station to 5,000 EUR for older equipment to instrument.
Does the budget include maintenance?
The package covers warranty and fixes for 3 to 6 months. After that, maintenance runs about 12 to 18% of the initial cost per year, i.e. 8,000 to 12,000 EUR for a 65,000 EUR project.
How do we avoid budget overrun?
By freezing the MVP scope (WO + shop-floor tracking) before adding IoT and advanced dashboards. Serious upfront scoping keeps drift below 10%.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your shop, your machine fleet and the number of operators to equip: we'll price a WO + shop-floor tracking MVP and a target budget. 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.
