Kapasitetsbehov

Kapasitetsbehov is the amount of capacity required to meet forecasted demand in a given planning horizon. It is a central concept in capacity planning and covers resources such as machinery, labor, space and capital. The aim is to ensure that the organization can produce or deliver at the needed level while maintaining service quality and cost efficiency.

To determine kapasitetsbehov, planners consider expected demand, service level targets, and lead times. They assess variability in demand and processing times, setup and shutdown times, maintenance, and holidays. The result is a capacity plan that shows current capacity, target capacity, and any gaps between them. A gap may indicate the need to add resources, adjust processes, or influence demand.

Approaches range from deterministic planning, which uses a fixed demand forecast, to probabilistic or scenario-based planning that accounts for uncertainty. Techniques include capacity utilization calculations, bottleneck analysis, line balancing, shift scheduling, and the use of safety capacity to absorb variability.

Applications span manufacturing, logistics and supply chains, data centers, healthcare facilities, and public transport. A robust kapasitetsbehov assessment supports decisions on investment, outsourcing, automation, and inventory policy, and it is often integrated with demand forecasting and financial planning.

Challenges include demand volatility, seasonality, long and variable lead times, capital constraints, and regulatory or safety requirements. Because conditions can change, kapasitetsbehov is typically reviewed on a rolling basis and adjusted as forecasts and strategies evolve.

See also: Capacity planning, demand forecasting, utilization, bottleneck, throughput.