The verdict in three sentences
For a mining equipment distributor in Amsterdam, an English and Dutch catalogue site with 400 SKUs at about 26 000 EUR can lift inbound export enquiries from 5 to 17 a month in a realistic scenario. Payback comes from a steady flow of wear part orders from mines abroad, not from one big deal. The case below follows a fictional, representative company, never presented as a real client, with before and after figures.
Starting point: an export business run on email and trade fairs
The fictional company, called here Lowlands Mining Parts, has 40 staff near the Port of Amsterdam. It ships crusher wear parts, slurry pumps, conveyor components and drilling consumables to mines in West and Southern Africa, Chile and Peru. Sales rely on trade fairs, agents and a PDF catalogue. Buyers at remote mine sites search for a precise part number online, often outside European office hours.
| Indicator | Before the site (illustrative) | 12-month target |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound quote requests | 5 a month | 17 a month |
| Share from Africa and Latin America | 30 % | 60 % |
| Average response time | 2 days | Same business day |
| SKUs browsable online | 0 | 400 with datasheets |
| Requests with CE documents attached automatically | 0 % | 100 % |
| Quote to order conversion | 18 % | 18 % (kept flat to stay prudent) |
Budget and timeline
The project was priced at 26 000 EUR excluding VAT, within a 2026 market ballpark for a bilingual technical catalogue built by a Dutch agency. Total timeline: 11 weeks.
| Line item | Content | Weeks | Budget (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and catalogue model | Families, technical attributes, OEM cross-references | 1 to 2 | 2 600 EUR |
| UX and design | Catalogue, product page and quote basket templates | 2 to 3 | 3 900 EUR |
| Catalogue build | Filters by machine model, part type, dimensions | 3 to 8 | 8 000 EUR |
| 400 SKU import | Datasheets, photos, compatibility tables | 4 to 9 | 5 200 EUR |
| CE documentation library | Declarations of conformity and manuals linked per SKU | 6 to 9 | 1 800 EUR |
| Dutch version | Interface and key pages for domestic buyers | 7 to 10 | 2 600 EUR |
| Multi-item quote request | Basket, routing to export sales, auto acknowledgement | 8 to 10 | 1 300 EUR |
| Testing and launch | Low bandwidth tests, training | 11 | 600 EUR |
| Total | 11 weeks | 26 000 EUR |
The CE library matters for buyers who must file compliance documents with their own procurement. Keep documents current and dated, and never publish a declaration you have not received from the manufacturer.
Results and payback
| Monthly calculation (illustrative) | Value |
|---|---|
| Extra requests | 17 minus 5 = 12 a month |
| Extra orders at 18 % | 2.16 a month |
| Average order value | 6 500 EUR |
| Gross margin at 22 % | 1 430 EUR per order |
| Extra monthly margin | 2.16 x 1 430 = 3 089 EUR |
| Support and hosting | 400 EUR a month |
| Net monthly gain | about 2 690 EUR |
| Payback | 26 000 / 2 690 = about 10 months |
As a lighter nearshore benchmark, Kolonell's prices for a Premium site (e-commerce or booking, 21 to 30 working days) are 3 050 to 5 340 EUR (2 000 000 to 3 500 000 FCFA), with the 50 to 500 product catalogue option at 760 EUR (500 000 FCFA) and 110 EUR (75 000 FCFA) per extra language.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Illustrative persona: Ruben, export sales director at Lowlands Mining Parts, decides to show stock status from the Amsterdam warehouse instead of prices, because freight to inland mines changes the landed cost a lot. Of 17 monthly requests, he expects 7 to concern in-stock items shippable within 5 days. If that adds 2 orders a quarter at 6 500 EUR and a 22 % margin, the yearly gain is 8 x 1 430 = 11 440 EUR, enough to fund a Spanish version for Chile and Peru.
FAQ
What does a mining equipment catalogue site cost in Amsterdam in 2026?
A 2026 market ballpark is 15 000 to 40 000 EUR for a bilingual technical catalogue of 200 to 600 SKUs. Our illustrative case sits at 26 000 EUR for 400 SKUs.
Should we publish prices?
Not necessarily. Landed cost to remote mines varies with freight and duties, so a per-SKU quote button answered the same day often converts better.
Which languages matter?
English first for export, Dutch for domestic buyers and possibly Spanish for Latin America. Each extra language typically adds 2 000 to 4 000 EUR for a catalogue of this size.
How should we handle CE documents?
Link each SKU to its current declaration of conformity and manual from the manufacturer, with a version date. Allow 1 to 2 weeks to collect and check them.
When does the site pay for itself?
In this prudent scenario, about 10 months, without counting lower trade fair spend.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count and target languages and we will propose a scope, an indicative budget and a launch 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.
