A bicycle manufacturer currently produces 300,000 units a year and expects output levels to remain steady in the future. It buys chains from an outside supplier for $2 per chain. The plant manager believes their direct in-house productions costs to make their own chains is $1.50 per chain. Machinery to manufacture would cost $250,000 and would be obsolete in 10 years. They would use straight-line depreciation for tax purposes to $0 and then can be sold for scrap for $20,000. Estimation from the plant manager that it would take $50,000 for inventory.

Should they continue to outsource or should they manufacture their own chains?