semifabrikaat

Semifabrikaat is a term used in Dutch to describe an intermediate product in a manufacturing process. It denotes a product that has undergone some processing but is not yet finished and ready for sale or final use. Semifabrikaat is often treated as work in progress (WIP) in production planning and inventory management and is usually stored under controlled conditions until it proceeds to the next production steps.

The defining characteristics of a semifabrikaat are partial processing and defined specifications, such as composition, purity, or physical form. However, it typically still requires additional operations—such as further formulation, finishing, assembly, packaging, or labeling—before it can be released as a finished product. Quality control, traceability, and regulatory documentation are commonly applied at this stage to ensure that the intermediate meets the requirements for subsequent processing.

Industries that use semifabrikaat include the chemical industry (reactive intermediates), pharmaceuticals (drug-substance or API intermediates), food and beverage (partially prepared ingredients or concentrates), and metal or electronics manufacturing (semi-finished sheets, billets, or modules). The exact meaning can vary by company and sector, but the common idea is an intermediate, not a final consumer product.

Etymology: semifabrikaat combines semi- (half) with fabrikaat (manufactured article) in Dutch.