The verdict in three sentences
An industrial group with 800 employees and 5 subsidiaries needs a site that speaks to pharmaceutical customers, candidates, investors and the neighbours of regulated plants at the same time. A multi-subsidiary corporate website costs 25,000 to 60,000 EUR in 2026, delivered in 8 to 14 weeks, with a headless CMS and a three-level approval workflow. The choice of provider matters as much as the budget: a specialist corporate agency usually offers the best balance between editorial quality and technical control.
Integrated agency, specialist agency or IT services firm
Three types of providers answer industrial groups' tenders. Their strengths are very different.
| Criterion | Integrated communications agency | Specialist corporate web agency | IT services firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical budget (2026 estimate) | 45,000 to 90,000 EUR | 25,000 to 60,000 EUR | 40,000 to 80,000 EUR |
| Strength | Brand platform, content | Design, performance, CMS | IT integration, security |
| Weakness | Tech often subcontracted | Less brand strategy consulting | Weaker design and editorial |
| Typical timeline | 12 to 20 weeks | 8 to 14 weeks | 14 to 24 weeks |
| Annual maintenance | 8,000 to 15,000 EUR | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR | 10,000 to 20,000 EUR |
| Contact | Account director | Project manager and lead developer | Project manager and architect |
For a group that already has a strong brand identity, the specialist agency is often the right choice. If the brand needs rebuilding, plan a separate brand platform workstream of 15,000 to 35,000 EUR.
Multi-subsidiary architecture and editorial workflow
The core issue of a group website is governance: who writes, who approves, who publishes. With a headless CMS such as Sanity or Strapi, each subsidiary gets its own editorial space, and a three-level workflow (subsidiary editor, subsidiary communications manager, group communications) secures publishing. Sensitive pages, such as financial releases or information about Seveso-classified sites, may require an extra legal review.
| Line item | Indicative 2026 budget | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, subsidiary workshops, sitemap | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR | 4 to 6 workshops, audience matrix |
| Design system and mock-ups | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR | Group and subsidiary templates, WCAG accessibility |
| Headless CMS and 3-level workflow | 6,000 to 15,000 EUR | Roles, approval, version history |
| Sustainability pages and CSRD indicators | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR | Environmental, social and governance indicators |
| Careers area and job listings | 2,500 to 6,000 EUR | ATS connection, job profiles |
| Multilingual EN, DE, FR | 2,000 to 6,000 EUR | Translation management per language |
| Security, performance, hosting | 2,500 to 5,000 EUR | CSP, CDN, monitoring |
Sustainability and CSRD: what the site should show
Under the CSRD, large companies publish a sustainability report following the ESRS standards. The site is not meant to replace that report, but it should make its key indicators readable: scope 1 and 2 emissions, water use per site, accident frequency rate, share of women in management. One page per indicator, updated every year and linked to the PDF report, builds credibility with pharmaceutical buyers who assess suppliers through sustainability rating platforms.
Avoid unquantified claims such as "committed to the planet": they expose you to greenwashing risk, now regulated by EU law.
Mini case study
Thomas, head of communications of an 800-employee specialty chemicals group in Berlin, is consolidating 5 ageing subsidiary sites that cost 14,000 EUR a year in total for hosting and maintenance. He selects a specialist agency for 48,000 EUR plus 6,000 EUR a year of maintenance.
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Over three years, the new site costs 66,000 EUR, versus 42,000 EUR to keep the existing sites. The 24,000 EUR difference is offset by ending separate subsidiary rebuilds, budgeted at 15,000 EUR each over the period for two of them, so 30,000 EUR avoided. The group also gains a single workflow that cuts the time to publish a press release from 5 days to 1 day.
FAQ
What budget for an industrial group's corporate website in 2026?
Between 25,000 and 60,000 EUR with a specialist agency, and up to 90,000 EUR with an integrated agency that includes the brand platform. Add 4,000 to 8,000 EUR a year of maintenance.
How long does the project take?
Plan 8 to 14 weeks with a specialist agency. Workshops with subsidiaries and content production often account for half of the timeline.
Why a headless CMS?
It separates content from presentation, enabling a fast site, a fine-grained approval workflow and content reuse on other channels. The extra cost versus a classic CMS is about 3,000 to 6,000 EUR.
Do we need one site per subsidiary?
Rarely. A single architecture with subsidiary sections costs less and strengthens the group brand. A dedicated subdomain still makes sense for a subsidiary selling under its own brand.
How do we present sustainability without greenwashing risk?
Publish quantified indicators from the CSRD report, with their method and reference year. A sustainability workstream of 3,000 to 8,000 EUR usually covers 6 to 10 indicators.
Let's scope your project. Share your subsidiary structure and approval constraints: we will price a corporate website between 25,000 and 60,000 EUR, delivered in 8 to 14 weeks. 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.
