Pilgrims Manufacturing, Inc.: Activity-Based Costing Versus Volume-Based Costing
Pilgrims Manufacturing, Inc. manufactures cooling and heating coils for several different industries. It has two plants, Jewett City Plant (JCP) is an older, labor intensive machine shop where skilled workers use tools to perform most of the work. Greenwich Plant (GP) is highly automated and uses computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines with a small number of highly paid workers. JCP manufactures a high tolerance coil (Pa) and finishes a second one (Pb). GP mass produces two standard coils, Pc and Pd, and performs basic operations on Pb before transferring it to JCP for finishing. Production takes place in batches. Each batch is made of one product.
The products are sold directly to manufacturers by a technical sales force. Product Pa is a customized product manufactured to order, and requires a lot of specifications and negotiation with customers. Product Pb is a modification of the standardized products Pc and Pd. It is finished to meet each customer’s specifications, and as a result has more exacting technical specifications than Pc and Pd, and is hence finished in JCP. Products Pc and Pd are standardized products produced for stock and sold off-the-shelf and do not require much sales effort in writing up orders.
Each plant has six production and service departments, receiving, cutting & assembly, heat treatment, testing, packing & shipping, and repairs & maintenance (Charts 2 and 3). Exhibit 1 includes descriptions of activities in each of these departments. In addition, there are three departments -- marketing, design & engineering support, and administration -- at the corporate level (Chart 4).
The present accounting system is a traditional financial reporting driven system. Manufacturing costs are classified as material, labor, and overhead. Overhead is charged to products based on labor hours with the two plants treated as one cost center. Marketing, design & engineering support, and administration are considered period costs and not charged to products.
The President of the Company held a meeting with senior executives including VP-Finance, VP-Manufacturing, and VP-Marketing (Chart 1) to discuss the 2006 budget (Schedules 1, 2, and 3). She was unhappy with the fact that Pa´s budgeted price of $45 is below its standard cost of $48.29. However, she was not sure if the costing system, which treats both plants as one cost center, accurately determines the costs of the different products. She pointed out that GP is a machine intensive plant while JCP is more labor intensive. Furthermore, the products are produced in different numbers of batches (Schedule 6), and affect batch-related costs (e.g. testing and heat treatment) differently. She told VP-Finance that she has heard of an alternative costing method that uses multiple cost centers/pools and different cost bases to charge indirect costs to products. She also questioned the treatment of technical support costs and marketing expenses as period costs. VP-Finance promised to investigate the President’s points and report back to the group.
Required:
The VP-Finance appointed you as a team to investigate the President’s concerns. He suggested that you develop and compare several volume-based costing and activity-based costing (ABC) systems to identify and recommend the system that you deem to give the most accurate product costs.
For the traditional volume-based systems use the Overhead Allocation Menu shown at the bottom of the case to perform the following tasks:
1. Use machine hours, instead of direct labor hours, to allocate manufacturing overhead to the four products and restate the Products Budget (Schedule 1).
2. Repeat requirement 1, assuming that each plant is a separate cost center, and direct labor hours are used to allocate manufacturing overhead in both plants. Schedule 4 reports the labor hours per unit for each product.
3. Repeat requirement 2, assuming that labor hours are used to allocate manufacturing overhead in JCP and machine hours in GP. Schedule 5 reports the machine hours per unit for each product in the two plants.
4. Use an activity-based costing system to calculate new costs and profitability of each of the four products (Schedule 1) under the system.
To design the ABC systems you have visited the two plants where you interviewed plant managers, department supervisors and accountants. You also analyzed expense accounts and operations data. Based on the interviews and analyses, your team prepared descriptions of activities within each of the departments in each plant (Exhibit 1). You also decided to create plant-sustaining cost pool to which you allocated factory costs that you decided couldn’t accurately be allocated to the other departments. Finally, you prepared an analysis and description of the costs in each cost pool (Exhibit 2). And allocated the costs of the eight cost pools as shown in Schedule 9 to the different departments and to the plant-sustaining cost pool. To complete the design of the ABC system you have to make decisions on the following:
a. Which cost driver to use for allocating the costs of each activity to each of the products? Schedules 4-5 present labor hours and machine hours per unit for each product. Schedule 6 lists the number of batches for each product. Schedule 1 lists the number of units for each product.
b. Should you charge the design & engineering support and marketing expenses to products or treat them as firmwide costs? Schedules 7-8 present sales personnel time distribution, and design & engineering support time distribution. If you decide to treat design & engineering and marketing as product costs, use the Overhead Allocation Menu to select the cost drivers and charge the cost to the products.
5. Write a report to the President that includes your analysis in Requirements 1-4, and state which of the four you recommend and why.
6. (Optional). Create a worksheet and use the information provided in schedules 1-12 to allocate the overhead costs to the activities (Schedule 12 lists the costs, activities and rates). Select cost drivers to allocate the activities to the products and use that to prepare Schedule 1 Product Budget.
Schedule 1
2004 Products Budget |
|||||
|
|
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
Total |
|
Units |
70000 |
100000 |
500000 |
1000000 |
|
|
Pricea |
$45 |
$30 |
$4 |
$5 |
|
|
Standard
Costs (Schedule 3) |
$48.29 |
$19.11 |
$2.45 |
$2.45 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
$3,150,000 |
$3,000,000 |
$2,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
$13,150,000 |
|
Manufacturing
costs: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct
materials |
$84,000 |
$120,000 |
$600,000 |
$1,200,000 |
$2,004,000 |
|
Direct labor |
$840,000 |
$458,750 |
$243,750 |
$487,500 |
$2,030,000 |
|
Manufacturing
overhead |
$2,470,000 |
$1,323,214 |
$382,262 |
$764,524 |
$4,940,000 |
|
Total
manufacturing costs |
$3,394,000 |
$1,901,964 |
$1,226,012 |
$2,452,024 |
$8,974,000 |
|
Gross Margin |
($244,000) |
$1,098,036 |
$773,988 |
$2,547,976 |
$4,176,000 |
|
Less common
costs: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Design &
engineering costs |
|
|
|
|
$500,000 |
|
Marketing
& sales expenses |
|
|
|
|
$960,000 |
|
G&A |
|
|
|
|
$650,000 |
|
Total Costs |
|
|
|
|
$2,110,000 |
|
Net profit |
|
|
|
|
$2,066,000 |
|
a Average estimated prices. |
|||||
|
2004 Financial Budget |
|||
|
|
JCP |
GP |
Total |
|
Sales |
|
|
$13,150,000 |
|
Products
costs: |
|
|
|
|
Direct
materials |
$104,000 |
$1,900,000 |
$2,004,000 |
|
Direct labor |
1,280,000 |
750,000 |
2,030,000 |
|
Manufacturing
overhead: |
|
|
|
|
Power &
heat |
160,000 |
270,000 |
430,000 |
|
Repair &
maintenance |
150,000 |
300,000 |
450,000 |
|
Factory
expenses |
75,000 |
125,000 |
200,000 |
|
Factory
support |
400,000 |
350,000 |
750,000 |
|
Inspection
costs |
110,000 |
150,000 |
260,000 |
|
Chemicals
& fuel |
450,000 |
1,200,000 |
1,650,000 |
|
Depreciation-equipment |
200,000 |
600,000 |
800,000 |
|
Depreciation-buildings |
150,000 |
250,000 |
400,000 |
|
Total
manufacturing overhead |
1,695,000 |
3,245,000 |
4,940,000 |
|
Total
manufacturing costs |
$3,079,000 |
$5,895,000 |
$8,974,000 |
|
Gross margin |
|
|
$4,176,000 |
|
Operating
expenses: |
|
|
|
|
Design &
engineering costs |
|
|
500,000 |
|
Marketing
& sales expenses |
|
|
960,000 |
|
G & A |
|
|
650,000 |
|
Total
operating expenses |
|
|
2,110,000 |
|
Net profit |
|
|
$2,066,000 |
|
a Direct
labor hours: JCP 32,000 hours @ $40 average hourly rate; GP 10,000 hours @
$75 average hourly rate. |
|||
|
Unit Standard Cost |
||||
|
|
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pc |
|
Direct materialsb |
$1.200 |
$1.200 |
$1.200 |
$1.200 |
|
Direct labor b |
12.000 |
4.5875 |
0.488 |
0.488 |
|
Overhead a |
35.285 |
13.232 |
0.765 |
0.765 |
|
Total |
48.486 |
19.019 |
2.453 |
2.453 |
|
a Overhead rate = $4,940,000¸42,000 hours = $117.62 per direct labor hour. b Average estimated costs. |
||||
Schedule 4
Labor Hours Per Unit of Product
|
||||
|
Plant |
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
|
JCP |
0.3 hours |
0.11 hours |
|
|
|
GP |
|
.0025 hours |
.0065 hours |
.0065 hours |
Schedule 5
Machine Hours per Unit of Product |
||||
|
Plant |
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
|
JCP |
0.06 |
0.022 |
|
|
|
GP |
|
0.05 |
0.1 |
0.075 |
Schedule 6
Number of Batches |
||||
|
Plant/Product |
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
|
JCP |
10 |
5 |
|
|
|
GP |
|
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
Marketing & Sales Time Distribution * |
|||
|
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
|
35% |
20% |
15% |
15% |
|
*15% is not spent on any
one product. |
|||
Schedule 8
Design & Engineering Time Distribution
|
||||
|
Pa |
Pb |
Pc |
Pd |
Basic R&D |
|
35% |
20% |
10% |
10% |
25% |
|
Allocation of Costs to Departments and Activities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Labor and Machine Hours Per Department |
|||||
|
Jewett
City: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receiving |
Cutting & Assembly |
Heat Treat |
Testing |
Packing & Shipping |
|
Labor Hours |
2000 |
18000 |
3000 |
3000 |
6000 |
|
Machine Hours |
|
5600 |
|
800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greenwich: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receiving |
Cutting & Assembly |
Heat Treat |
Testing |
Packing & Shipping |
|
Labor Hours |
3000 |
3000 |
1000 |
1000 |
2000 |
|
Machine Hours |
|
90000 |
|
20000 |
20000 |
|
Schedule 11 Departmental Labor & Machine
Hours per Product |
||||||||
|
Jewett City: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receiving |
Cutting & Assembly |
Heat Treat. |
Testing |
Pack. & shipping |
Total |
|
|
Labor
hours |
|
2000 |
18000 |
3000 |
3000 |
6000 |
32000 |
|
|
Pa |
|
1312.5 |
11812.5 |
1968.75 |
1968.75 |
3937.5 |
21000 |
|
|
Pb |
|
687.5 |
6187.5 |
1031.25 |
1031.25 |
2062.5 |
11000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Machin
hours |
|
0 |
5600 |
|
800 |
0 |
6400 |
|
|
Pa |
|
0 |
3675 |
|
525 |
0 |
4200 |
|
|
Pb |
|
|
1925 |
|
275 |
|
2200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greenwich: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receiving |
Cutting & Assembly |
Heat Treat. |
Testing |
Pack. & shipping |
Total |
|
|
Labor
hours |
|
3000 |
3000 |
1000 |
1000 |
2000 |
10000 |
|
|
Pb |
|
75 |
75 |
25 |
25 |
50 |
250 |
|
|
Pc |
|
975 |
975 |
325 |
325 |
650 |
3250 |
|
|
Pd |
|
1950 |
1950 |
650 |
650 |
1300 |
6500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Machine
hours |
|
|
90000 |
|
20000 |
20000 |
130000 |
|
|
Pb |
|
|
3462 |
|
769 |
769 |
5000 |
|
|
Pc |
|
|
34615 |
|
7692 |
7692 |
50000 |
|
|
Pd |
|
|
51923 |
|
11538 |
11538 |
75000 |
|
|
Allocation
Rates of Overhead costs to Departments/Activities |
|||||||
|
Jewett
City: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
Receiving |
Cutting & Assembly |
Heat Treat. |
Testing |
Pack. & ship. |
Plant Sustaining |
|
Power |
160000 |
0.06 |
0.38 |
0.13 |
0.22 |
0.09 |
0.13 |
|
Repairs |
150000 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
Factory Expenses |
75000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Factory Support |
400000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Inspection |
110000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Chemicals & fuel |
450000 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Deprec-Equip |
200000 |
0.1 |
0.25 |
0.3 |
0.25 |
0.05 |
0.05 |
|
Deprec-Bldg |
150000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total Overhead |
1695000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labor Hours |
32000 |
2000 |
18000 |
3000 |
3000 |
6000 |
|
|
Machine Hours |
6400 |
|
5600 |
|
800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greenwich: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
Receiving |
Cutting, Machining & Assembly |
Heat treat. |
Testing |
Pack. & ship. |
Plant Sustaining. |
|
Power |
270000 |
0.09 |
0.44 |
0.06 |
0.26 |
0.07 |
0.07 |
|
Repairs |
300000 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
Factory Expenses |
125000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Factory Support |
350000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Inspection |
150000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Chemicals & fuel |
1200000 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Deprec-Equip |
600000 |
0.06 |
0.42 |
0.13 |
0.33 |
0.04 |
0.02 |
|
Deprec-Bldg |
250000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total Overhead |
3245000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labor Hours |
10000 |
3000 |
3000 |
1000 |
1000 |
2000 |
|
|
Machine Hours |
130000 |
|
90000 |
|
20000 |
20000 |
|
|
Description of Departments |
|
Receiving where materials and supplies are ordered, received
and forwarded to the plant floor. |
|
Cutting & Assembly (JCP) where skilled workers cut the sheet metal,
inspect it for quality and precision, and assemble product Pa. Product Pb is
finished in this process. |
|
Cutting, Machining &
Molding (GP)
where computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines are used to cut, mold
and finish products Pc & Pd. Product Pb is sent unfinished to JCP. |
|
Heat Treatment where products are immersed in chemicals at high
temperature for hardening. |
|
Testing where 100% of the products are tested for quality
and performance. |
|
Packing & Shipping where goods are packed and shipped to customers. |
|
Repairs & Maintenance maintains machines, equipments and buildings. |
Exhibit 2
Description of Costs |
|
Direct materials consist
of sheet metals and welding material.
The quantity for each of the four products is specified. |
|
Direct labor includes
wages and benefits. Workers are assigned to processes. Machine set-up time
costs are also included. |
|
Power & heat
includes the cost of power consumed by the machines as well as for heating
and lighting. |
|
Repair & maintenance include costs associated with repairing and maintenance of machines
and equipment. |
|
Factory expenses include
property taxes, building up keep and sanitary costs. |
|
Factory support includes
salaries & wages and benefits of non-direct labor such as plant managers,
supervisors, etc. |
|
Inspection costs
includes salaries and benefits of quality-inspectors who roam throughout each
plant inspecting parts and machines. |
|
Chemicals & fuel includes
the costs of chemicals, fuel and labor costs |
|
Depreciation-equipment depreciation costs of machines, tools and other equipment. |
|
Depreciation-buildings depreciation expenses for the two plants. The JCP also house the
administrative offices. |
|
Design & engineering costs include salaries & benefits of engineers, and
other costs of the Design & Engineering department. The department works
on product, and factory machines development |
|
Marketing & sales expenses include salaries & benefits of sales staff,
and promotions and other marketing costs. |
|
General and administrative costs include top management, accounting, personnel, and
legal counsel. |
|
Potential Overhead Allocation Bases |
|
Budgeted
units of output |
|
Budgeted
direct labor hours |
|
Budgeted
machine hours |
|
Number
of batches |
|
Pilgrims Manufacturing, Inc. Organization Chart |
|
|
|
JCP Layout |
|
|
|
Greenwich Plant |
|
|
|
Services and Products |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|