Thalassines Kataskeves, S$.$A$.,$ of Greece makes marine equipment. The company has been experiencing losses on its bilge pump product line for several years. The most recent quarterly contribution format income statement for the bilge pump follows:

Thalassines Kataskeves, S$.$A$.$

Income Statement$$Bilge Pump

For the Quarter Ended March $31$

Sales $ $420,000$

Variable expenses:

Variable manufacturing expenses $ $139,000$

Sales commissions $53,000$

Shipping $23,000$

Total variable expenses $215,000$

Contribution margin $205,000$

Fixed expenses:

Advertising $($for the bilge pump product line$)25,000$

Depreciation of equipment $($no resale value$)108,000$

General factory overhead $44,000*$

Salary of product$-$line manager $126,000$

Insurance on inventories $9,000$

Purchasing department $53,000$

Total fixed expenses $365,000$

Net operating loss $ $(160,000)$

$*$Common costs allocated on the basis of machine$-$hours.

$$Common costs allocated on the basis of sales dollars.

Discontinuing the bilge pump would not affect sales of other product lines and would have no effect on the company$$s total general factory overhead or total Purchasing Department expenses.