Jack McGuire has been with Bulk Productions Group (BPG) for 14 years. McGuire decides to start slow with a project testing the increased automation of their horse feed line. Below are the projected cost of the expansion in automation, given a 5 year useful life of the robotic equipment:

Direct Cost of Automation

Purchase price of new robotic equipment	$1,450,000
Sales tax on equipment	$87,000
Shipping cost of equipment	$63,000
Equipment installation	$175,000
Software	$98,000
Initial system and equipment testing	$25,000
Equipment scrap value after five years	$70,000
Annual Warranty Service Contract	$21,000

robotics proposal one plant supervisor position with a salary of $98,000 per year. Two machine will need to be hired at $41,000 each. The automation and related electronics will increase energy usage by $126,000 per year. The software will create an expected savings of $210,000 per year Automation efficiencies will create a one-time $150,000 cost reduction in BPG's inventory stored in their warehouse. Automation will replace 25,000 labor hours per year costing $16 per hour. BPG's International Home Office in Cedar Rapids, Iowa expects a 16% return on any new investments in production.

Question is:

Summarize the net present value of all cost, comparing the cost of expanding automation to the cost of 25,000 labor hours. Given the net present value of the two alternatives, should BPG expand automation to the horse feed operation? Discuss your results. This discussion is well beyond just the numberswhat do these results mean? How will accepting or rejecting this project affect the company's future (discuss all aspects of the change, not just cost)?