idle capacity

[/ˈaɪdəl ˈkæpæsɪti/]
nounpl: idle capacities
capacidade ociosa
1. The portion of a company's productive capacity that is not being utilized or is underutilized due to lack of demand, equipment downtime, or inefficient production scheduling
The factory operated at 60% capacity, leaving 40% of idle capacity that could not be allocated to production.
A fábrica operava com 60% da capacidade, deixando 40% de capacidade ociosa que não podia ser alocada para a produção.
2. In accounting and manufacturing, the unused or wasted production capability that represents a cost to the organization
Management decided to reduce idle capacity by implementing a new production schedule across multiple shifts.
A administração decidiu reduzir a capacidade ociosa implementando um novo cronograma de produção em múltiplos turnos.
3. The difference between maximum possible output and actual output in a production facility
With seasonal fluctuations, the company experienced significant idle capacity during the winter months.
Com as flutuações sazonais, a empresa experimentou capacidade ociosa significativa durante os meses de inverno.
In Brazilian manufacturing and business contexts, 'capacidade ociosa' is a critical concept in operational efficiency discussions and cost management. It represents wasted resources and is often a focus point for industrial improvement programs (lean manufacturing, just-in-time production). In the USA, this term is prevalent in manufacturing discussions and manufacturing-heavy regions like the Rust Belt. The concept gained prominence during economic downturns when factories operated at significantly reduced capacity due to demand fluctuations.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
excess capacityunutilized capacityspare capacityslack capacityunderutilized capacity
Antonyms / Antônimos
full capacitypeak capacitymaximum capacityutilized capacity

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
capacidade ociosa
Most common term used in Brazilian business and accounting contexts
Rio de Janeiro
capacidade parada
Alternative used in industrial contexts, literally 'stopped capacity'
São Paulo
capacidade não utilizada
More descriptive form commonly used in manufacturing hubs
Portugal
capacidade inativa
European Portuguese variant, slightly more formal usage

Related Words

production capacitycapacity utilizationmanufacturing efficiencyoverhead costdowntimeproduction planning

Related Idioms & Phrases

running below capacity
excess baggage
dead weight
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