Production Costs vs. Manufacturing ꧑Costs: An Ov🅠erview
Production costs reflect all of the eౠxpenses associated ♐with a company conducting its business while manufacturing costs represent only the expenses necessary to make the product.
Both of these figures are used to evaluate the total expenses of operating a manufacturing business. The revenue that a company generates must exceed the total expense before it achieves prꦍofitability.
Key Takeaways
- A factory's production costs are the total expenses of doing business.
- Manufacturing costs are the expenses directly related to building the product.
- Both production costs and manufacturing costs must be included in the calculation of the per-item cost of doing business.
Production Costs
澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Costs of production include many of the fixed and variable 🍒costs of operating a business. Raw materials and labor are production costs.
Fixed costs typically include:
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Building rent
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Advertising budget
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Business equipment
- Other miscellaneous expenses that do not go up or down with moderate changes in the volume of business
Variable costs increase or decrease as production volume c🌳hanges. Some variable 🍒costs are:
- Supplies
- Wages
- Any other expenses that change with the level of production
Manufacturing business🍃es calculate their overall expenses in terms of the cost of production per item. That number is, of course, critical to setting the wholesale price of the item.
As the rate of production increases, the company's revenue increases while its fixed costs remain steady. Therefore, the per-item cost of manufacturing falls and the business becomes more profitable.
A lower per-item fixed cost motivates many businesses to continue expanding proღduction up to its total capacity. This allows the business to achieve a higher profit margin after considering all variable co🔯sts.
Manufacturing Costs
Manufacturing costs, for the most part, are sensitive to changes in production volume. Total manufacturing 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:expenღses increase as production increases.
Important
The opportunity to achieve a lower per-item fixed cost motivates many businesses t🐽o continue expanding production up to total capacity.
The per-item cost does not change substantially.⭕ Nonetheless, additional production always generates additional manufacturing costs.
Manufacturing costs fall into three broad categories of expenses: materials, labor, and overhead. All are direct costs. That is, the salary of the company accountant or the accountant's office supplies are not included, but the salary and supplies of the foreman are.
Productioꦺn Costs vs. Manufacturing Costs Example
For example, a small business that manufactures widgets may have fixed monthly costs of $800 for its buildi൲ng and $100 for equipment maintenance. These expenses stay the same regardless of the level of production, so per-item costs are reduced if the business makes more 🅠widgets.
In this example, the total production costs are $9✃00 per month in fixed expenses plus $10 in variable expenses for each widget produced. To produce each widget, the business must purchase supplies at $10 each. Each widget sells for $100. After subtracting the manufacturing cost of $10, each widget makes $90 for the business.
To bꦬreak ev๊en, the business must produce 10 widgets every month. It must make more than 10 widgets to become profitable.
What Is the Marginal Cost of Production?
The marginal cost of production refers to the cost to produce one add🧜itional unit. Theoretically, companies should produce additional units until the marginal cost of production equals marginal revenue, at which point revenue is maximized.
How to Calculate Total Manufacturing Cost?
There are three main components that make up total manufacturing costs. These include direct materialꦍs (raw manufacturing materials), direct labor (the wages for the workers who directly produce manufactured goods), and manufacturing overhead (indirect costs necessary for production like utilities, equipment maintenance, and rent).
Are Wages a Fixed Cost or Variable Cost?
Wages can be either a fixed or variable cost depending on how they're structured. Salaries are typically a fixed cost, as they must be paid regardless of how much product a company produces. In contrast, hourly wages, overtime pay, and commissions are usually classified as a variable cost, as they can fluctuate with production levels.
The Bottom Line
Production costs encompass all the costs required for a company to operate while manufacturing costs only represent the costs needed to produce products. In theory, companies should produce enough goods to cover their production costs to maximize revenue but stop once marginal costs equal marginal revenue. Manufacturing costs can change over time and depending on production levels, so it's important for businesses to closely track variable inputs such as material and labor to ensure production doesn't eat away at revenue.