Question

Troy Engines, Ltd., manufactures a variety of engines for use in heavy equipment. The company has always produced all of the necessary parts for its engines, including all of the carburetors. An outside supplier has offered to sell one type of carburetor to Troy Engines, Ltd., for a cost of $30 per unit. To evaluate this offer, Troy Engines, Ltd., has gathered the following information relating to its own cost of producing the carburetor internally: Per Unit 19,000 Units Per Year Direct materials $ 12 $ 228,000 Direct labor 10 190,000 Variable manufacturing overhead 3 57,000 Fixed manufacturing overhead, traceable 3 * 57,000 Fixed manufacturing overhead, allocated 6 114,000 Total cost $ 34 $ 646,000 *One-third supervisory salaries; two-thirds depreciation of special equipment (no resale value).

Required: 1. Assuming the company has no alternative use for the facilities that are now being used to produce the carburetors, what would be the financial advantage (disadvantage) of buying 19,000 carburetors from the outside supplier?

2. Should the outside supplier’s offer be accepted?

3. Suppose that if the carburetors were purchased, Troy Engines, Ltd., could use the freed capacity to launch a new product. The segment margin of the new product would be $190,000 per year. Given this new assumption, what would be the financial advantage (disadvantage) of buying 19,000 carburetors from the outside supplier?

4. Given the new assumption in requirement 3, should the outside supplier’s offer be accepted?

Answer 1

1
	Per unit		Total 19000 units
	Make	Buy	Make	Buy
Direct materials	12		228000
Direct labor	10		190000
Variable manufacturing overhead	3		57000
Fixed manufacturing overhead traceable	1		19000
Purchase cost		30		570000
Total			494000	570000
Difference in favor of making = 494000-570000 = $76000
Financial (disadvantage) (76000)
2
NO, Reject the offer
3
	Make	Buy
Total cost	494000	570000
Opportunity cost	190000
Total relevant cost	684000	570000
Difference in favor of buying = 684000-570000 = 114000
Financial advantage 114000
4
Yes, Accept the offer