Outsourcing decision affected by equipment replacement

Holcombe Bike Company (HBC) makes the frames used to build its bicycles. During 2009, HBC made 20,000 frames; the costs incurred follow.

Unit level materials costs (20,000 units X $40)

$ 800,000

Unit level labor costs (20,000 units X $51)

1,020,000

Unit level overhead costs (20,000 X $9)

180,000

Depreciation on manufacturing equipment

90,000

Bike frame production supervisor’s salary

70,000

Inventory holding costs

290,000

Allocated portion of facility level costs

500,000

Total costs

$2,950,000

HBC has an opportunity to purchase frames for $100 each.

Additional Information

1. The manufacturing equipment, which originally cost $550,000, has a book value of $450,000, a remaining useful life of four years, and a zero salvage value. If the equipment is not used to produce bicycle frames, it can be leased for $70,000 per year.

2. HBC has the opportunity to purchase for $910,000 new manufacturing equipment that will have an expected useful life of four years and a salvage value of $70,000. This equipment will increase productivity substantially, reducing unit level labor costs by 60 percent. Assume that HBC will continue to produce and sell 20,000 frames per year in the future.

3. If HBC outsources the frames, the company can eliminate 80 percent of the inventory holding costs.

Required

a. Determine the avoidable cost per unit of making the bike frames, assuming that HBC is considering the alternatives between making the product using the existing equipment and outsourcing the product to the independent contractor. Based on the quantitative data, should HBC outsource the bike frames? Support your answer with appropriate computations.

b. Assuming that HBC is considering whether to replace the old equipment with the new equipment, determine the avoidable cost per unit to produce the bike frames using the new equipment and the avoidable cost per unit to produce the bike frames using the old equipment. Calculate the impact on profitability if the bike frames were made using the old equipment versus the new equipment.

c. Assuming that HBC is considering to either purchase the new equipment or outsource the bike frame, calculate the impact on profitability between the two alternatives.

d. Discuss the qualitative factors that HBC should consider before making a decision to outsource the bike frame. How can HBC minimize the risk of establishing a relationship with an unreliable supplier?