The correct answer is B. Machine setups . In activity-based costing , batch-level activities are performed each time a batch of goods is processed, regardless of how many units are in that batch. A classic example is the machine setup required before production of a batch can begin. ABC materials commonly identify setup costs as batch-level because the activity occurs per batch rather than per individual unit.
Option A, property taxes , and Option C, factory insurance , are usually considered facility-level or organization-sustaining overhead because they support the factory as a whole rather than a specific batch.
Option D, product engineering wages , is more closely related to product-level activities , since engineering work often supports a particular product line rather than each batch run. Batch-level costs increase with the number of production batches, not necessarily with the number of units produced. Since machine setups are incurred each time a batch is started, they are the standard example of a batch-level overhead cost. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.