#manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing cost accounting, production, and operations
The SBA's $50 Million Manufacturing Grant Isn't for You to Apply To — Here's How Small Manufacturers Actually Benefit
The SBA's $50 million Manufacturing in America E2G grant funds ~10 intermediary organizations — not manufacturers directly. Here's how small manufacturers access the free training, technical assistance, and government-contracting help it pays for, plus how it pairs with the Made in America 7(a) loan enhancement.
Thermal Circuits v. Commissioner: Why Customer-Funded Facility Expansions Are Taxable Income
In Thermal Circuits, Inc. v. Commissioner, the Tax Court held that $4.3 million a customer paid to expand a manufacturer's facility was taxable income, not an excludable Section 118 capital contribution — because Thermal controlled the asset, the money was compensation for guaranteed capacity, and post-TCJA Section 118(b) excludes any customer contribution or contribution in aid of construction. What the ruling means for prepayments, tenant improvement allowances, and capacity deals.
Connecticut's Shrinkflation Disclosure Law (HB 6856): What Small Food Businesses Need to Know
Connecticut's HB 6856 would be the first US state law to regulate shrinkflation, requiring food manufacturers to post a clear notice for 12 months whenever they shrink a product without cutting its price — enforced as an unfair trade practice by the state Attorney General. Here's who the bill covers, the slack-fill litigation risk that already exists, and how to keep COGS and margin records accurate through a package resize.
The Machine Shop Bookkeeping Guide: Job Costing, WIP, and Real Margins
Machine shops that track only labor and materials miss the two costs that decide whether a job is profitable — machine overhead and work in process — so aggregate revenue looks healthy while a third of jobs quietly lose money.
Section 232 Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper: A Small Business Guide
A presidential proclamation effective April 6, 2026 (updated June 8, 2026) now applies Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper derivatives to a product's full customs value instead of just its metal content, pushing rates as high as 50% on the entire declared value.
FTC 'Made in USA' Warning Letters: A 2026 Compliance Guide for Small Manufacturers
Seven manufacturers received FTC warning letters on July 6, 2026 over unqualified "Made in USA" claims. This guide covers the "all or virtually all" standard under 16 CFR Part 323, the $53,088-per-violation penalty, qualified-claim wording, and the substantiation file every small manufacturer should keep.
Artisan Cheese Maker and Farmstead Creamery Bookkeeping: How to Track Milk-to-Wheel Costs, Aging Cave WIP, and Yield KPIs Without Losing Your Margin
A practical accounting guide for farmstead creameries covering Section 263A inventory capitalization, aging cave WIP cost layers, FDA Pasteurized Milk Ordinance and 21 CFR 133 raw milk compliance, Section 179 equipment treatment, channel-specific revenue recognition under ASC 606, and the yield and cost-per-wheel KPIs that separate sustainable cheesemakers from hobbyists.
Maple Syrup Sugarhouse Bookkeeping: Schedule F vs C, Section 263A, and the KPIs That Predict Your Season
A working guide for sugarhouse operators — how to split Schedule F farming from Schedule C manufacturing, capitalize sap-to-syrup costs under Section 263A, expense a $40,000 reverse-osmosis unit under Section 179, and track the five KPIs (starting with 0.34 gallons per tap) that predict whether next season pays the mortgage.
The Decorator's Profit Math: A Bookkeeping Guide for Custom Screen Printing and Embroidery Shops
Custom decorator shops sit at the crossroads of manufacturing, retail, and service work. This guide walks through the four-layer job cost model, ASC 606 treatment of customer deposits on custom goods, Section 179 expensing of presses and embroidery machines, and the press-hour and stitch-hour KPIs that separate profitable shops from merely busy ones.
Independent Microbrewery and Taproom Bookkeeping: From Mash Tun to Margin
A craft barrel sold through a taproom can fetch over $1,200 in revenue while the same barrel through distribution brings $160 to $220. Independent breweries need bookkeeping that captures Section 263A WIP cost layers, TTB Form 5130.9 excise tax filings, CBMA reduced rates, three-tier channel margins, keg deposit liabilities, and Section 179 brewhouse depreciation to see which channel actually pays the bills.
Specialty Butcher Shop and Custom Meat Processor Bookkeeping: A Whole-Animal Cost, Yield, and Compliance Playbook
A working playbook for specialty butcher and custom meat processor bookkeeping — cutout-based costing, Section 263A work-in-process inventory, USDA classification rules, Section 179 equipment treatment, and the yield KPIs that protect per-carcass margin.
Custom Cabinet and Millwork Shop Bookkeeping: ASC 606, Job Costing, and Section 179
How custom cabinet and architectural millwork shops should account for long-lead contracts under ASC 606, allocate CNC machine-hour burden, hold customer deposits as liabilities, reserve for hardwood yield loss, and expense equipment under the 2026 Section 179 limit of $2.56M.