The Challenge

Established in 1890, C.G. Bretting Manufacturing Company, Inc., is a leading international manufacturer of paper converting equipment including napkin folders, tissue rewinders, and specialty machinery. The company experienced a period of tremendous growth, evidenced by Tad Bretting’s honor as the Small Business Person of the Year in 1989. As the consumption of production material increased, use tax became a significant cost to the company.

The Strategy

Wipfli identified an opportunity for the manufacturer to reevaluate its sales and use-tax procedures. Working with Bretting’s internal financial team, Wipfli combined its knowledge of Bretting’s business and industry with its expertise in sales and use-taxation, to provide a thorough evaluation of current expenditures and reporting systems. 

• Reviewed manufacturing expenditures and identified unclaimed exemptions
• Analyzed internal processes and reporting systems
• Examined multi-state sales tax issues

The Results

With Wipfli’s recommendations, Bretting was able to enhance existing reporting systems to more accurately report and minimize sales and use-tax expense.

• Realized $25,000 annual savings
• Received $100,000 refund claim for prior years
• Established policies for reporting multi-state taxes in the company’s future