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Century Service Affiliates Experiences Growth Using R&D Tax Credits
With the help of: New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP)
About
Century Service Affiliates, Inc. is a family-owned business that specializes in providing custom foam and case solutions for every type of need imaginable. This Paterson, NJ-based custom foam fabricator has been calling New Jersey home for over 30 years. Century Service Affiliates manufactures all types of carry cases including blow molded plastic cases, injection molded cases, all-weather cases, and shipping cases. They are fully staffed and completely manufacture their products in-house at their 39,000 square foot facility.
Their Pro-Design team works with customers to receive the perfect custom case solution for their items by creating and producing custom foam inserts or a case with precut foam. Their cases come from all major manufacturers, including Pelican, Doro, SKB, Seahorse, Nanuk, Flambeau, and HPRC.
The Challenge
NJMEP account manager Stacy Cooke informed Century Service Affiliates they could apply for the R&D Tax Credit for Tax Year 2020. Century Service Affiliates looked into the tax credits and noticed their work qualifies as R&D. This tax credit was particularly important because they were conducting R&D work on their printing foam and print builder at the height of the COVID pandemic. They needed support from an expert to identify ways to optimize their R&D tax credit. Without the tax credit, they couldn’t stay competitive or purchase the machinery needed to produce their new products.
We’re doing R&D to fill the business and be competitive. That’s always something that we did. We just didn’t know there was help available for it to absolutely take that and move it up to the next level because with the tax credits it allows us to reclaim funds that we were paying for the R&D and use it in other places in our business. NJMEP held our hands the whole time. We did have to send information to them about what research and development we’ve done, but basically, they handled all the rest of it. Really, it was very easy!
MEP's Role
Century Service Affiliates enlisted NJMEP, part of the MEP National Network™, to help them after prior positive experiences with earning the R&D tax credits dating back to 2018. Stacy Cooke helped ensure they understood the tax credit process, and provided the information needed to move forward. Through examination, verification and staff interviews of all of Century Service Affiliates’ projects and activities for 2020, the team put together documentation that ensured Century Service Affiliates qualified for the credits.
Qualifying for R&D tax credits is a complex process without the right support and partner. Having an R&D expert with experience put together a report after identifying all the activities and documents ensures Century Service Affiliates has everything needed to qualify.