Otero Fibers, Inc., specializes in the manufacture of synthetic fibers that the company uses in many products such as blankets, coats, and uniforms for police and firefighters. Otero has been in business since 1985 and has been profitable every year since 1993. The company uses a standard cost system and applies overhead on the basis of direct labor hours. Otero has recently received a request to bid on the manufacture of 800,000 blankets scheduled for delivery to several military bases. The bid must be stated at full cost per unit plus a return on full cost of no more than 10 percent after income taxes. Full cost has been defined as including all variable costs of manufacturing the product, a reasonable amount of fixed overhead, and reasonable incremental administrative costs associated with the manufacture and sale of the product. The contractor has indicated that bids in excess of $30 per blanket are not likely to be considered. In order to prepare the bid for the 800,000 blankets, Andrea Lightner, cost accountant, has gathered the following information about the costs associated with the production of the blankets. *Direct machine costs consist of items such as special lubricants, replacement of needles used in stitching, and maintenance costs. These costs are not included in the normal overhead rates. **Otero recently developed a new blanket fiber at a cost of $750,000. In an effort to recover this cost, Otero has instituted a policy of adding a $0.50 fee to the cost of each blanket using the new fiber. To date, the company has recovered $125,000. Lightner knows that this fee does not fit within the definition of full cost, as it is not a cost of manufacturing the product. Required: 1. Calculate the minimum price per blanket that Otero Fibers could bid without reducing the company’s operating income. 2. Using the full-cost criteria and the maximum allowable return specified, calculate Otero Fibers’ bid price per blanket. 3. Without prejudice to your answer to Requirement 2, assume that the price per blanket that Otero Fibers calculated using the cost-plus criteria specified is greater than the maximum bid of $30 per blanket allowed. Discuss the factors that Otero Fibers should consider before deciding whether or not to submit a bid at the maximum acceptable price of $30 per blanket. (CMA adapted)

Ingles Corporation is a manufacturer of tables sold to schools, restaurants, hotels, and other institutions. The table tops are manufactured by Ingles, but the table legs are purchased from an outside supplier. The Assembly Department takes a manufactured table top and attaches the four purchased table legs. It takes 16 minutes of labor to assemble a table. The company follows a policy of producing enough tables to ensure that 40 percent of next months sales are in the finished goods inventory. Ingles also purchases sufficient materials to ensure that materials inventory is 60 percent of the following months scheduled production. Ingless sales budget in units for the next quarter is as follows: Ingless ending inventories in units for July 31 are as follows: Required: 1. Calculate the number of tables to be produced during August. 2. Disregarding your response to Requirement 1, assume the required production units for August and September are 2,100 and 1,900, respectively, and the July 31 materials inventory is 4,000 units. Compute the number of table legs to be purchased in August. 3. Assume that Ingles Corporation will produce 2,340 units in September. How many employees will be required for the Assembly Department in September? (Fractional employees are acceptable since employees can be hired on a part-time basis. Assume a 40-hour week and a 4-week month.) (CMA adapted)

Brees, Inc., a manufacturer of golf carts, has just received an offer from a supplier to provide 2,600 units of a component used in its main product. The component is a track assembly that is currently produced internally. The supplier has offered to sell the track assembly for 66 per unit. Brees is currently using a traditional, unit-based costing system that assigns overhead to jobs on the basis of direct labor hours. The estimated traditional full cost of producing the track assembly is as follows: Prior to making a decision, the companys CEO commissioned a special study to see whether there would be any decrease in the fixed overhead costs. The results of the study revealed the following: 3 setups1,160 each (The setups would be avoided, and total spending could be reduced by 1,160 per setup.) One half-time inspector is needed. The company already uses part-time inspectors hired through a temporary employment agency. The yearly cost of the part-time inspectors for the track assembly operation is 12,300 and could be totally avoided if the part were purchased. Engineering work: 470 hours, 45/hour. (Although the work decreases by 470 hours, the engineer assigned to the track assembly line also spends time on other products, and there would be no reduction in his salary.) 75 fewer material moves at 30 per move. Required: 1. Ignore the special study, and determine whether the track assembly should be produced internally or purchased from the supplier. 2. Now, using the special study data, repeat the analysis. 3. Discuss the qualitative factors that would affect the decision, including strategic implications. 4. After reviewing the special study, the controller made the following remark: This study ignores the additional activity demands that purchasing would cause. For example, although the demand for inspecting the part on the production floor decreases, we may need to inspect the incoming parts in the receiving area. Will we actually save any inspection costs? Is the controller right?

Basuras Waste Disposal Company has a long-term contract with several large cities to collect garbage and trash from residential customers. To facilitate the collection, Basuras places a large plastic container with each household. Because of wear and tear, growth, and other factors, Basuras places about 200,000 new containers each year (about 20% of the total households). Several years ago, Basuras decided to manufacture its own containers as a cost-saving measure. A strategically located plant involved in this type of manufacturing was acquired. To help ensure cost efficiency, a standard cost system was installed in the plant. The following standards have been established for the products variable inputs: During the first week in January, Basuras had the following actual results: The purchasing agent located a new source of slightly higher-quality plastic, and this material was used during the first week in January. Also, a new manufacturing process was implemented on a trial basis. The new process required a slightly higher level of skilled labor. The higher- quality material has no effect on labor utilization. However, the new manufacturing process was expected to reduce materials usage by 0.25 pound per container. Required: 1. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Compute the materials price and usage variances. Assume that the 0.25 pound per container reduction of materials occurred as expected and that the remaining effects are all attributable to the higher-quality material. Would you recommend that the purchasing agent continue to buy this quality, or should the usual quality be purchased? Assume that the quality of the end product is not affected significantly. 2. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances. Assuming that the labor variances are attributable to the new manufacturing process, should it be continued or discontinued? In answering, consider the new processs materials reduction effect as well. Explain. 3. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Refer to Requirement 2. Suppose that the industrial engineer argued that the new process should not be evaluated after only one week. His reasoning was that it would take at least a week for the workers to become efficient with the new approach. Suppose that the production is the same the second week and that the actual labor hours were 9,000 and the labor cost was 99,000. Should the new process be adopted? Assume the variances are attributable to the new process. Assuming production of 6,000 units per week, what would be the projected annual savings? (Include the materials reduction effect.)

Renslen, Inc., a truck manufacturing conglomerate, has recently purchased two divisions: Meyers Service Company and Wellington Products, Inc. Meyers provides maintenance service on large truck cabs for 10-wheeler trucks, and Wellington produces air brakes for the 10-wheeler trucks. The employees at Meyers take pride in their work, as Meyers is proclaimed to offer the best maintenance service in the trucking industry. The management of Meyers, as a group, has received additional compensation from a 10 percent bonus pool based on income before income taxes and bonus. Renslen plans to continue to compensate the Meyers management team on this basis as it is the same incentive plan used for all other Renslen divisions, except for the Wellington division. Wellington offers a high-quality product to the trucking industry and is the premium choice even when compared to foreign competition. The management team at Wellington strives for zero defects and minimal scrap costs; current scrap levels are at 2 percent. The incentive compensation plan for Wellington management has been a 1 percent bonus based on gross margin. Renslen plans to continue to compensate the Wellington management team on this basis. The following condensed income statements are for both divisions for the fiscal year ended May 31, 20x1: Renslen, Inc. Divisional Income Statements For the Year Ended May 31, 20x1 Each division has 1,000,000 of management salary expense that is eligible for the bonus pool. Renslen has invited the management teams of all its divisions to an off-site management workshop in July where the bonus checks will be presented. Renslen is concerned that the different bonus plans at the two divisions may cause some heated discussion. Required: 1. Determine the 20x1 bonus pool available for the management team at: a. Meyers Service Company b. Wellington Products, Inc. 2. Identify at least two advantages and disadvantages to Renslen, Inc., of the bonus pool incentive plan at: a. Meyers Service Company b. Wellington Products, Inc. 3. Having two different types of incentive plans for two operating divisions of the same corporation can create problems. a. Discuss the behavioral problems that could arise within management for Meyers Service Company and Wellington Products, Inc., by having different types of incentive plans. b. Present arguments that Renslen, Inc., can give to the management teams of both Meyers and Wellington to justify having two different incentive plans.

Paladin Company manufactures plain-paper fax machines in a small factory in Minnesota. Sales have increased by 50 percent in each of the past three years, as Paladin has expanded its market from the United States to Canada and Mexico. As a result, the Minnesota factory is at capacity. Beryl Adams, president of Paladin, has examined the situation and developed the following alternatives. 1. Add a permanent second shift at the plant. However, the semiskilled workers who assemble the fax machines are in short supply, and the wage rate of 15 per hour would probably have to be increased across the board to 18 per hour in order to attract sufficient workers from out of town. The total wage increase (including fringe benefits) would amount to 125,000. The heavier use of plant facilities would lead to increased plant maintenance and small tool cost. 2. Open a new plant and locate it in Mexico. Wages (including fringe benefits) would average 3.50 per hour. Investment in plant and equipment would amount to 300,000. 3. Open a new plant and locate it in a foreign trade zone, possibly in Dallas. Wages would be somewhat lower than in Minnesota, but higher than in Mexico. The advantages of postponing tariff payments on parts imported from Asia could amount to 50,000 per year. Required: Advise Beryl of the advantages and disadvantages of each of her alternatives.

Quality Clothing, Inc., produces skorts and jumper uniforms for schoolchildren. In the process of cutting out the cloth pieces for each product, a certain amount of scrap cloth is produced. Quality has been selling this cloth scrap to Jorges Scrap Warehouse for $3.25 per pound. Last year, the company sold 40,000 lb. of scrap, which would be enough to make 10,000 teddy bears that the management of Quality is now interested in producing. Their processes would need some reprogramming, particularly in the cutting and stitching processes, but it would require no additional worker training. However, new packaging would be needed. The total variable cost to produce the teddy bears $3.85. Fixed costs would increase by $95,000 per year for the lease of the packaging equipment and Quality estimates it could produce and sell 10,000 teddy bears per year. Finished teddy bears could be sold for $18.00 each. Should Quality continue to sell the scrap cloth or should Quality process the scrap into teddy bears to sell?

Vargas, Inc., produces industrial machinery. Vargas has a machining department and a group of direct laborers called machinists. Each machinist is paid 25,000 and can machine up to 500 units per year. Vargas also hires supervisors to develop machine specification plans and to oversee production within the machining department. Given the planning and supervisory work, a supervisor can oversee three machinists, at most. Vargass accounting and production history reveal the following relationships between units produced and the costs of direct labor and supervision (measured on an annual basis): Required: 1. Prepare two graphs: one that illustrates the relationship between direct labor cost and units produced, and one that illustrates the relationship between the cost of supervision and units produced. Let cost be the vertical axis and units produced the horizontal axis. 2. How would you classify each cost? Why? 3. Suppose that the normal range of activity is between 2,400 and 2,450 units and that the exact number of machinists is currently hired to support this level of activity. Further suppose that production for the next year is expected to increase by an additional 400 units. How much will the cost of direct labor increase (and how will this increase be realized)? Cost of supervision?

Vollmer Manufacturing makes three components for sale to refrigeration companies. The components are processed on two machines: a shaper and a grinder. The times (in minutes) required on each machine are as follows: The shaper is available for 120 hours, and the grinder for 110 hours. No more than 200 units of component 3 can be sold, but up to 1,000 units of each of the other components can be sold. In fact, the company already has orders for 600 units of component 1 that must be satisfied. The profit contributions for components 1, 2, and 3 are 8, 6, and 9, respectively. a. Formulate and solve for the recommended production quantities. b. What are the objective coefficient ranges for the three components? Interpret these ranges for company management. c. What are the right-hand-side ranges? Interpret these ranges for company management. d. If more time could be made available on the grinder, how much would it be worth? e. If more units of component 3 can be sold by reducing the sales price by 4, should the company reduce the price?

Mott Company recently implemented a JIT manufacturing system. After one year of operation, Heidi Burrows, president of the company, wanted to compare product cost under the JIT system with product cost under the old system. Motts two products are weed eaters and lawn edgers. The unit prime costs under the old system are as follows: Under the old manufacturing system, the company operated three service centers and two production departments. Overhead was applied using departmental overhead rates. The direct overhead costs associated with each department for the year preceding the installation of JIT are as follows: Under the old system, the overhead costs of the service departments were allocated directly to the producing departments and then to the products passing through them. (Both products passed through each producing department.) The overhead rate for the Machining Department was based on machine hours, and the overhead rate for assembly was based on direct labor hours. During the last year of operations for the old system, the Machining Department used 80,000 machine hours, and the Assembly Department used 20,000 direct labor hours. Each weed eater required 1.0 machine hour in Machining and 0.25 direct labor hour in Assembly. Each lawn edger required 2.0 machine hours in Machining and 0.5 hour in Assembly. Bases for allocation of the service costs are as follows: Upon implementing JIT, a manufacturing cell for each product was created to replace the departmental structure. Each cell occupied 40,000 square feet. Maintenance and materials handling were both decentralized to the cell level. Essentially, cell workers were trained to operate the machines in each cell, assemble the components, maintain the machines, and move the partially completed units from one point to the next within the cell. During the first year of the JIT system, the company produced and sold 20,000 weed eaters and 30,000 lawn edgers. This output was identical to that for the last year of operations under the old system. The following costs have been assigned to the manufacturing cells: Required: 1. Compute the unit cost for each product under the old manufacturing system. 2. Compute the unit cost for each product under the JIT system. 3. Which of the unit costs is more accurate? Explain. Include in your explanation a discussion of how the computational approaches differ. 4. Calculate the decrease in overhead costs under JIT, and provide some possible reasons that explain the decrease.

Box Springs. Inc., makes two sizes of box springs: queen and king. The direct material for the queen is $35 per unit and $55 is used in direct labor, while the direct material for the king is $55 per unit, and the labor cost is $70 per unit. Box Springs estimates it will make 4,300 queens and 3,000 kings in the next year. It estimates the overhead for each cost pool and cost driver activities as follows: How much does each unit cost to manufacture?

TufStuff, Inc., sells a wide range of drums, bins, boxes, and other containers that are used in the chemical industry. One of the company’s products is a heavy-duty corrosion-resistant metal drum, called the WVD drum, used to store toxic wastes. Production is constrained by the capacity of an automated welding machine that is used to make precision welds. A total of 2,000 hours of welding time is available annually on the machine. Because each drum requires 0.4 hours of welding machine time, annual production is limited to 5,000 drums. At present, the welding machine is used exclusively to make the WVD drums. The accounting department has provided the following financial data concerning the WVD drums: WVD Drums Selling price per drum $ 149.00 Cost per drum: Direct materials $52.10 Direct labor ($18 per hour) 3.60 Manufacturing overhead 4.50 Selling and administrative expense 29.80 90.00 Margin per drum $ 59.00 Management…

TufStuff, Inc., sells a wide range of drums, bins, boxes, and other containers that are used in the chemical industry. One of the company’s products is a heavy-duty corrosion-resistant metal drum, called the WVD drum, used to store toxic wastes. Production is constrained by the capacity of an automated welding machine that is used to make precision welds. A total of 2,000 hours of welding time is available annually on the machine. Because each drum requires 0.4 hours of welding machine time, annual production is limited to 5,000 drums. At present, the welding machine is used exclusively to make the WVD drums. The accounting department has provided the following financial data concerning the WVD drums: WVD Drums Selling price per drum $ 149.00 Cost per drum: Direct materials (Variable) $52.10 Direct labor (Variable) 3.60 VariableManufacturing overhead…

Solution Summary: The author explains how to calculate the cost of ending inventory under absorption costing as well as variable costs.

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Chapter 18 Solutions