Suppose Larry's Lariats produces lassos in a factory, and uses nine feet of rope to make each lasso. The rope is put into a machine that automatically cuts it to the right length, then seals the ends to prevent fraying. The rope is then hand tied, dipped, and wound before being placed in a packaging machine to prepare it for retail sale. Which of the following would be considered a fixed cost for this company? A. Employee wages
B. The rope-cutting machine
C. The cost of the factory
D. All of these expenses would be included in variable costs.