capaciteitsoverschrijdingen

Capaciteitsoverschot, often translated as overcapacity, is a condition in which the productive capacity of an economy or industry exceeds the demand for its products or services. It is characterized by high fixed costs per unit, underutilized equipment, and pressures on prices and margins. Overcapacity can arise from premature or excessive investment in new capacity, overly optimistic demand forecasts, or regulatory and technological shifts that alter demand patterns.

Causes include cyclical downturns, rapid capital expenditure, mergers and consolidation, global competition, and policy or subsidy changes that encourage capacity expansion. External shocks, such as energy price swings or shifts in consumer preferences, can also create spare capacity.

Implications include reduced profitability for firms, layoffs, debt distress, and delayed investment as companies wait for demand to recover. It can drive price competition and a slower expansion of the sector. In some cases, overcapacity may serve as a buffer against short-run shortages elsewhere, but this is not always beneficial for market efficiency.

Measuring overcapacity typically relies on capacity utilization rates, the difference between installed capacity and actual output, and indicators of unused or underused assets. Management responses emphasize flexibility and restructuring: scaling capacity up or down, divesting underutilized assets, outsourcing or temporary production adjustments, and pursuing mergers or reallocation of resources to higher-demand activities. Policy responses may include anti-cyclical investment, regulatory reform, or incentives to reallocate capital toward more productive uses.

Over time, market dynamics often restore balance through demand growth, asset reallocation, or industry restructuring. In capital-intensive sectors such as manufacturing and energy, cycles of overcapacity have been a recurring feature of modern economies.