Exhibit 6-2
Sinclair Plastics Operates Two Chemical Plants Which Produce

question 3

Essay

Exhibit 6-2
Sinclair Plastics operates two chemical plants which produce polyethylene; the Ohio Valley plant which can produce up to 10,000 tons per month and the Lakeview plant which can produce up to 7,000 tons per month. Sinclair sells its polyethylene to three different auto manufacturing plants, Grand Rapids (demand = 3000 tons per month), Blue Ridge (demand = 5000 tons per month), and Sunset (demand = 4000 tons per month). The variable unit cost of shipping a ton is $1 per mile. The number of miles between the respective plants is shown in the table below:
In addition to the variable unit costs of shipping, Sinclair incurs a fixed handling cost (of pickup and delivery) for any shipping routes it uses. These costs are discounted for longer routes, as shown below:
$$\begin{array} { | l | l | l | l | } \hline & \text { Grand Rapids } & \text { Blue Ridge } & \text { Sunset } \\\hline \text { Ohio Valley } & 50 & 40 & 100 \\\hline \text { Lakeview } & 60 & 50 & 75 \\\hline\end{array}$$
$\begin{array}{c}\text { Fixed Cost Levels }\\\begin{array}{lll}\text { Distance (mi)}&\text { Fixed Cost } \\<=25 & \$ 100,000 \\<=50 & \$ 60,000 \\<=75 & \$ 20,000 \\<=100 & \$ 0\end{array}\end{array}$

-Refer to Exhibit 6-2.What is Sinclair's optimal shipping plan
What is the total cost in that case

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Definitions:

Employment Level

A measure indicating the number of people currently employed in an economy, typically not including those self-employed.

Working Poor

Individuals who have employment but whose incomes fall below a specific poverty line due to low wages and insufficient hours.

Utilitarianism

A moral theory that advocates actions that maximize happiness and well-being for the greatest number of people.

Liberalism

A political and moral philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed, and equality before the law.