In the prefab construction world, "capacity" is a term that gets thrown around a lot. But what does it mean?
Many see capacity as simply the amount of something a company or a facility can produce.
When you visit a modular factory, you might ask, "How many modules can you make in a week?" But is this the right question?
Different factories have different capacities. Some can churn out about 10 modules weekly, while others struggle to make even one. They all claim to have maximum capacity, but in reality, hitting that peak might have happened only a couple of times in their history.
Lots of things affect capacity: the product's design, specifications, where materials come from, and how complex the project is.
So, what really influences capacity?
If "What, Who," and "Where" set the capacity needed, "How" reveals if that capacity can actually be reached.
In an ideal situation, a factory gets an order, designs the project, gets materials, builds the modules, and delivers them on time. The "How" is the logical process that makes it all happen, no matter where you are.
But what happens in the factory?
How can logistics help or hurt productivity?
Firstly, engineers might hit roadblocks in getting projects approved by local authorities. These delays cut into our capacity.
Then there's the issue of getting materials. Sometimes, everything you need comes from one place, and if tariffs spike there, it's trouble.
Secondly, say you have a big project almost done when you need to start another. But a snag at the construction site stalls everything.
There's nowhere to store the modules, and they can't go to the site, so the factory sits idle for weeks.
By the time the first project clears up, the next is already behind schedule.
All these things mess with your capacity. Delays in design, material shortages, construction stops, labour issues—they're all part of the production journey.
Many see capacity as simply the amount of something a company or a facility can produce.
When you visit a modular factory, you might ask, "How many modules can you make in a week?" But is this the right question?
Different factories have different capacities. Some can churn out about 10 modules weekly, while others struggle to make even one. They all claim to have maximum capacity, but in reality, hitting that peak might have happened only a couple of times in their history.
Lots of things affect capacity: the product's design, specifications, where materials come from, and how complex the project is.
So, what really influences capacity?
If "What, Who," and "Where" set the capacity needed, "How" reveals if that capacity can actually be reached.
In an ideal situation, a factory gets an order, designs the project, gets materials, builds the modules, and delivers them on time. The "How" is the logical process that makes it all happen, no matter where you are.
But what happens in the factory?
How can logistics help or hurt productivity?
Firstly, engineers might hit roadblocks in getting projects approved by local authorities. These delays cut into our capacity.
Then there's the issue of getting materials. Sometimes, everything you need comes from one place, and if tariffs spike there, it's trouble.
Secondly, say you have a big project almost done when you need to start another. But a snag at the construction site stalls everything.
There's nowhere to store the modules, and they can't go to the site, so the factory sits idle for weeks.
By the time the first project clears up, the next is already behind schedule.
All these things mess with your capacity. Delays in design, material shortages, construction stops, labour issues—they're all part of the production journey.