Pacific Industries USA 401(k) Review & Grade
Pacific Manufacturing Ohio, Inc. 401(k)
Fairfield, OHManufacturing1,077 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$559Employer $ per active participant
$1,518Employee $ saved per active participant
0.77%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$16.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$13,139Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity4.0 / 508th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost2.7 / 2511th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.0 / 157th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score5 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 8th |
| Lower admin cost | 11th |
| Employee saving | 7th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($331,465 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $17,941 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Pacific Industries USA put in about $559 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.77% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $602,096 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,634,646 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $382,533 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $115,143 |
| Contract administrator fees | $62,102 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $36,040 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,854,064 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $13.6M / $16.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 964 / 1,190 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,238 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Barnes Dennig |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Newport Group, Inc. | $74,637 reported compensation |
| Equitable Advisors | $36,040 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015141917NAL0006395504001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 31-1253660, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.