Birch Company normally produces and sells 34,500 units of RG-6 each month. RG-6
ID: 2582275 • Letter: B
Question
Birch Company normally produces and sells 34,500 units of RG-6 each month. RG-6 is a small electrical relay used in the automotive industry as a component part in various products. The selling price is $31 per unit, variable costs are $23 per unit, fixed manufacturing overhead costs total $172,500 per month, and fixed selling costs total $34,500 per month.
Employment contract strikes in the companies that purchase the bulk of the RG-6 units have caused Birch Company’s sales to temporarily drop to only 17,000 units per month. Birch Company estimates that the strikes will last for about two months, after which time sales of RG-6 should return to normal. Due to the current low level of sales, however, Birch Company is thinking about closing its own plant during the two months that the strikes are on. If Birch Company does close its plant, it is estimated that fixed manufacturing overhead costs can be reduced to $120,750 per month and that fixed selling costs can be reduced by 10%. Startup costs at the end of the shutdown period would total $17,000. Since Birch Company uses just-in-time production methods, no inventories are on hand.
Assuming that the strikes continue for two months, compute the increase or decrease in income from closing the plant.
____________ in income by___________
Would you recommend that Birch Company close its own plant?
2. At what level of sales (in units) for the two-month period should Birch Company be indifferent between closing the plant and keeping it open?
Level of Sales ____________ units
please show the solutions step by step
Birch Company normally produces and sells 34,500 units of RG-6 each month. RG-6 is a small electrical relay used in the automotive industry as a component part in various products. The selling price is $31 per unit, variable costs are $23 per unit, fixed manufacturing overhead costs total $172,500 per month, and fixed selling costs total $34,500 per month.
Explanation / Answer
Production level Production level Plant closed 34,500 17,000 - Revenue @ 31 1,069,500 527,000 - Variable cost @ 23 (793,500) (391,000) - Contribution 276,000 136,000 - Fixed cost (172,500) (172,500) (120,750) Fixed selling cost (34,500) (34,500) (31,050) Restart cost (17,000) Profit 69,000 (71,000) (168,800) So after closing the plant, the loss will increase from 71,000 to 168,800 i.e. by 97800 Solution 2 Since the loss is mounting, it is not recommended to shut down the plant Solution 3 Fixed cost if plant continued (207,000) Fixed cost if plant shut down (168,800) Variance (38,200) Contirbution per unit 8 Indiffernt units level =38200/8 Indiffernt units level 4,775 Units level Recommendation 4775 Continue the planRelated Questions
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