Kapasitetsjustering

Kapasitetsjustering is the strategic process of aligning a firm’s productive capacity with expected demand, technological change, and market conditions. It encompasses decisions about the size and composition of fixed capital such as plants and equipment, as well as how resources like labor and shifts are organized to meet future needs. The aim is to balance service levels and lead times with capital intensity and operating costs, while maintaining flexibility to respond to uncertainty.

Adjustments can be permanent, such as building a new facility or closing a plant, or temporary, such as reducing output, using subcontractors, or maintaining idle capacity to cushion demand swings. They may involve capital expenditure, divestment, automation, outsourcing, or changes to workforce levels and work patterns. Planning typically covers horizons from months to several years and relies on demand forecasting, capacity modeling, and scenario analysis. Key considerations include the cost of capital, liquidity, regulatory constraints, supply chain risks, and lead times for installation and ramp-up.

Industries such as manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, and logistics frequently engage in kapasitetsjustering. Examples include a manufacturer expanding a production line in response to rising demand, an airline adjusting fleet size, or a data center scaling servers to match peak workloads. The decision can affect unit costs, utilization rates, and resilience, and carries risks such as overinvestment, stranded assets, or workforce impacts.

Related concepts include capacity planning, production planning, demand management, and capital expenditure.