Introduction: When Every Minute Counts
In modern manufacturing, downtime isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a direct hit to your bottom line. The average cost of downtime in UK manufacturing is £5,121 per hour, and unplanned maintenance eats up 19.6 hours every week.
When a PLC fault or automation breakdown occurs, engineering and operations managers have three main options:
- Call the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) – the machine builder.
- Bring in a traditional support partner – usually an on-site contractor or service firm.
- Use ECS Connect – a patented remote-first solution, with instant 24/7 access to senior engineers, backed by Vault digital asset management.
Each path has strengths and weaknesses. The real question is: which is right for your business?
Option 1: OEM Call-outs
At first glance, contacting the OEM feels like the safe option. They designed the equipment, so they know it inside out. But the reality is often more complex.
- Premium costs: After-hours OEM visits can cost £1,500+ per incident.
- Travel overheads: Engineers may need flights, hotels, and expenses, pushing the bill even higher.
- Slow response: Unless you’re a top-priority customer, you may wait days.
- Site unfamiliarity: Even with product expertise, OEM engineers still need time to understand your unique setup.
For food and drink manufacturers where downtime means lost batches and supply chain disruption, those delays are painful and expensive.
Option 2: Traditional Support Partners
Another common route is to call a third-party engineering firm or contractor. These partners usually send an engineer to the site.
- Faster than OEMs: Travel is usually local, so response times are quicker.
- Variable expertise: You get whoever is available, and their PLC brand knowledge may not match your equipment.
- Still subject to travel: Even if they’re two hours away, that’s two hours of lost production.
- Recruitment mentality: Many partners act more like agencies, “filling seats” rather than providing tailored solutions.
This option can work well for general breakdowns and mechanical issues, but it rarely provides the speed or assurance needed for complex automation faults.
Option 3: ECS Connect
ECS Connect was created to overcome the weaknesses of both OEMs and traditional partners. Instead of waiting for someone to arrive, Connect provides secure, remote-first access to senior automation controls engineers, available 24/7/365.
How it works:
- Instant access: An engineer connects to your PLC within an hour.
- Transparent pricing: From £30 per device per month, with support calls from from £65/hour.
- Cross-brand expertise: Siemens, Rockwell, Mitsubishi, Schneider, Omron, and more.
- Compliance built in: Risk assessments, backups, and audit-ready records.
- 24/7 coverage: SLA-based response times for peace of mind.
This isn’t just another support partner. It’s a new way of delivering engineering resilience.
Vault: Making Connect Smarter
Every Connect customer also benefits from ECS Vault, our digital asset management system for automation equipment.
That means when an Automation Controls Engineer logs in through Connect, they’re already prepared with:
- A complete asset register of your covered devices.
- Previous PLC/HMI code versions are stored securely for rollback.
- A parts breakdown so critical spares can be sourced without delay.
Instead of losing valuable hours to searching, documenting, or re-coding, our engineers resolve issues with full context from the start. Vault turns Connect from a reactive support tool into a proactive resilience strategy.
ROI: Why Connect Pays for Itself
- OEM call-out example: £1,500+ after-hours.
- Shift Hero Connect call: £240.
- Annual saving per site: £80,000+ on call-outs alone.
And when downtime is factored in:
- Two faster repairs per month = £20,484 saved monthly.
- That’s £245,000+ annually in avoided downtime.
With Vault ensuring every engineer has the right code, documentation, and parts lists before they even connect, those savings only grow.
Disclaimer: All figures are illustrative examples based on average downtime costs in UK manufacturing. Actual savings will vary depending on site conditions, equipment, and incident frequency.
Recognition & Innovation
ECS Connect is more than a service, it’s a patented innovation that has reshaped how engineering support is delivered.
- Winner – National Innovation Awards 2025 (Innovation in Automation Technology).
- Nominated – Made in Britain Impact Award 2025, recognising its role in strengthening UK manufacturing.
These accolades confirm what clients already experience: Connect isn’t just another option. It’s a category-defining solution that pairs instant response with Vault’s preparedness.
Key Considerations for Your Business
When deciding which option to choose, ask yourself:
- What’s your downtime cost? For most FMCG firms, it’s over £100,000 per week.
- Do you need 24/7 cover? OEMs and partners often run 9–5; Connect covers every hour of the year.
- How predictable is your budget? OEMs are high and variable; partners fluctuate; Connect offers clear, fixed costs.
- How critical is compliance? With fines up 100% in manufacturing, built-in documentation via Vault matters.
- Do you run multi-OEM sites? Connect supports multiple platforms from one service.
Real-World Example: Packaging Line Breakdown
A UK food group faced a sudden PLC fault on a packaging line.
- OEM option: First available engineer in 48 hours, £3,000+ cost, £10,000+ lost production.
- Support partner option: The Engineer could attend in 6 hours, but lacked Siemens PLC experience, delaying the fix until the OEM arrived.
- Connect + Vault option: Remote engineer logged in within 45 minutes, accessed previous program versions in Vault, identified the fault, and restored operations the same day. Cost: <£500.
Note: This example is illustrative. Actual response times and cost savings will vary by site and situation.
Three Options Compared
| Factor | OEM Support | Traditional Support Partner | ECS Connect + Vault |
| Availability | Working hours, wait times are common | Faster, but it depends on travel | 24/7/365, SLA-based, connects within an hour |
| Cost | £1,500+ after-hours, plus expenses | Lower than OEM but still travel-based | £30/device + calls from £65/hour |
| Expertise | Deep, product-specific | Generalist skills, variable PLC knowledge | Senior engineers with cross-brand PLC expertise |
| Preparedness | Relies on on-site knowledge, limited docs | Depends on what the engineer brings | Vault provides asset register, version control & parts lists |
| Continuity | No centralised backup | Documentation varies | Secure repository of previous PLC/HMI code versions |
| Compliance | Limited to OEM scope | Rarely built-in | Full risk assessments, backups, and audit-ready records |
| Best Use | Rare, niche technical fixes | General breakdowns, installs | First-line automation support & downtime prevention |
Conclusion: The Smarter First Call
OEMs and traditional partners both play a role in today’s manufacturing landscape. But when it comes to preventing costly downtime, ECS Connect — with Vault — is the smarter first call.
- OEMs: best kept for rare, highly complex problems.
- Support partners: useful for general breakdowns and installations.
- Connect + Vault: the modern way to cover the majority of PLC faults, with speed, compliance, and full asset knowledge built in.
For most manufacturers, the winning strategy is to blend the three, but with Connect + Vault as your front line of defence, ensuring production keeps moving while you decide if escalation is needed.
Next Steps: See Connect in Action
Don’t wait for your next breakdown to rethink your support model.👉 Book a demo with ECS Connect today and see how much downtime and cost your business could save.
