Question: Changing machines in a world without taxes The Clampton Company is considering the purchase of a new machine to perform operations currently being performed on different, less efficient equipment. The purchase price is $110,000, delivered and installed. A ampton production engi- neer estimates that the new equipment will produce savings of $30,000 in labor and other direct costs annually, compared with the present equipment. He estimates the proposed equipment's economic life at five years, with zero salvage value. The present equipment is in good working order and will last, physically, for at least ten more years. The company requires a return of at least 10 percent before taxes on an investment of this type. Taxes are to be disregarded.
a. Assuming the present equipment has zero book value and zero resale value, should the company buy the proposed piece of equipment?