Kamal Fatehl, production manager of Kennesaw Manufacturing, finds his profit at $15,000 (as shown in the statement below)—inadequate for expanding his business. The bank is insisting on an improved profit picture prior to approval of a loan for some new equipment. Kamal would like to improve the profit line to $25,000 so he can obtain the bank’s approval for the loan.

a) What percentage improvement is needed in a supply chain strategy for profit to improve to $25,000? What is the cost of material with a $25,000 profit?

b) What percentage improvement is needed in a sales strategy for profit to improve to $25,000? What must sales be for profit to improve to $25,000? (Hint: See Example 1.)

Example 1

Bell Computers purchases integrated chips at $350 per chip. The holding cost is $35 per unit per year, the ordering cost is $120 per order, and sales are steady, at 400 per month. The company’s supplier, Rich Blue Chip Manufacturing, Inc., decides to offer price concessions in order to attract larger orders. The price structure is shown below.

a) What is the optimal order quantity and the minimum annual cost for Bell Computers to order, purchase, and hold these integrated chips?

b) Bell Computers wishes to use a 10% holding cost rather than the fixed $35 holding cost in (a). What is the optimal order quantity, and what is the optimal annual cost?