Master Tool Corporation Limited (MTCL) is a private company that currently manufactures 3 different pliers. Melissa Scranton, the company president, is concerned that MTCL has been losing its market share, and its operating results are deteriorating. You are working as a summer student at MTCL. The company controller is away on vacation and Melissa has asked you to have a look at the production and sale issues MTCL is currently experiencing. In your review of direct manufacturing costs, you note that MTCL has recently upgraded to computer-aided manufacturing equipment that has virtually eliminated waste and spoiled units. As a result, direct labour costs have been cut by 20% per year over the last 5 years. Melissa doesn't think it is possible to reduce costs any further. Melissa was able to provide you with the standard cost report (Appendix 1) that was put together when planning for the current year's budget. This report explains how MTCL currently allocates overhead costs. The VP of Sales at MTCL things he can improve results by adding a new product line - Wrench Sets (Appendix 2). He is certain the wrench sets will make money, but the cost and profit projections aren't supporting his claim. The VP of Manufacturing is concerned about scheduling and doesn't know how she is going to manage production, especially if the wrench sets are added. She tells you, "We've been working at close to our capacity, using 170,000 of the available 180,000 machine hours, and costs have been right on target. It's the scheduling of work on machines that is causing me the biggest headache. We're barely managing to keep up with the sales orders, but with any increase in sales, we'll end up with backorders." Required: 1) MTCL currently allocates non-direct costs to product lines based on a variety of drivers (Appendix 1). Melissa would like you to review the current allocations. Please advise whether the current allocations for Manufacturing Overhead Cost, Variable Selling & Admin Cost, and Fixed Selling & Admin Cost are appropriate. If they are not appropriate, suggest improvement(s) and explain how the changed allocations would be better. (5 marks) then provide the updated full cost per unit for each of the current product lines. (16 marks) Appendix 1 Master Tool Corporation Limited Standard Cost Summary For the year ending July 31, 20x2 Standard unit costs: Direct materials Direct labour Overhead (Note 1) Total manufacturing costs Variable selling & admin costs (Note 2) Fixed selling & admin costs (Note 3) Total cost Labour hours per unit Machine hours per unit Unit sales Selling price per unit Economy pliers $1.10 0.5 5 6.6 0.35 0.26 $7.21 0.04 0.25 100,000 $7.50 15-cm pliers 20-cm pliers $2.75 0.65 6.5 9.9 0.55 0.4 $10.85 0.05 0.25 300,000 $12.00 $3.35 0.75 7.5 11.6 1.1 0.46 $13.16 0.06 1 70,000 $14.50 Appendix 2 Proposed Wrench set $4.00 1 10 $15.00 1.1 0.46 $16.56 0.5 40,000 $14.00 1. Manufacturing overhead is allocated to products at a predetermined rate based on direct labour in dollars. Budgeted overhead Budgeted direct labour. $2.975,000* = $297,500 = *90% of total overhead is composed of depreciation, regular maintenance, related salaries, and other fixed manufacturing costs. The remaining 10% of overhead costs are variable and include the costs of operating the machines. Budgeted fixed selling & admin costs Budgeted total manufacturing costs = $10 Per dollar of labour hour costs $177.680 $4,442,000 = 4% of manufacturing costs Variable selling and administrative costs consist entirely of sales commissions. Commission amounts per unit were negotiated with the salespeople two years ago. Fixed selling and administrative costs are allocated to products at a predetermined rate based on total manufacturing costs.