Birch Company normally produces and sells 49,000 units of RG-6 each month. RG-6
ID: 2484230 • Letter: B
Question
Birch Company normally produces and sells 49,000 units of RG-6 each month. RG-6 is a small electrical relay used as a component part in the automotive industry. The selling price is $29 per unit, variable costs are $20 per unit, fixed manufacturing overhead costs total $180,000 per month, and fixed selling costs total $40,000 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 10,000 units per month. Birch Company estimates that the strikes will last for two months, after which time sales of RG-6 should return to normal. Due to the current low level of sales, Birch Company is thinking about closing down its own plant during the strike, which would reduce its fixed manufacturing overhead costs by $50,000 per month and its fixed selling costs by 9%. Start-up costs at the end of the shutdown period would total $14,000. Because Birch Company uses Lean Production methods, no inventories are on hand. Required: Assuming that the strikes continue for two months, what is the impact on income by closing the plant? Would you recommend that Birch Company close its own plant? Yes No At what level of sales (in units) for the two-month period should Birch Company be indifferent between closing the plant or keeping it open?Explanation / Answer
Selling Price per unit $29 Variable cost $20 Contribution Margin (A) 9 Assuming Production @10000 per month Shutting Down The plant Production In Two Month(B) 20000 0 Contribution (A*B) 180000 0 Fixed Manufacturing Overhead 360000 260000 Fixed Selling cost 80000 72800 Start up cost 14000 Margin (Contribution -Fixed cost) -260000 -346800 Ans to 1 a: Assuming strike continues the loss will increase by (346800-246000)=86,800 if the plant is closed down Ans to 1 b: No Ans to 1 C: To be indifferent the plant has to earn atleast (86800+14000)=100800…So production is requitred for two month (100800/9)= 11200 units in two months
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