C.A.I., Inc. v. Vitex Packaging Group, Inc.

115 F. Supp. 3d 168, 87 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 78, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93201, 2015 WL 4396266
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJuly 17, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 1:13-CV-11272-LTS
StatusPublished

This text of 115 F. Supp. 3d 168 (C.A.I., Inc. v. Vitex Packaging Group, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
C.A.I., Inc. v. Vitex Packaging Group, Inc., 115 F. Supp. 3d 168, 87 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 78, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93201, 2015 WL 4396266 (D. Mass. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

SOROKIN, United States District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

C.A.I., Inc. (“CAI”), makes and sells commercial ink and ink products. Vitex Packaging Group, Inc. and Vitex Packaging, Inc., (collectively' “Vitex”), print tea labels and tea envelopes for its customers. From about September of 2010, to about December of 2010, Vitex purchased some inks from CAI on a “straight bill” basis. Vitex evaluated the ink products and decided to purchase more substantial quantities of ink from CAI. After some oral discussions, during which Vitex made clear it did not want to enter into a binding relationship of any set duration, Vitex and CAI agreed to a form of consignment arrangement. Beginning in early 2011, CAI shipped ink to Vitex. Each month, a CAI employee visited the Vitex plant to determine which ink containers Vitex had opened during the previous month. [171]*171Armed, with this information, CAI sent an invoice to Vitex for each container Vitex had opened. CAI issued the first invoice for consignment ink in February of 2011. Vitex paid this invoice. The parties repeated this process each month thereafter until March of 2013, when Vitex terminated the relationship. At the end of the relationship, Vitex refused to pay four invoices issued by CAI: February 28, 2013 (invoice # 64252); March 28, 2013 (invoice # 64545); April 4, 2013 (invoice # 64545A), and; April 15, 2013 (invoice # 64749). .

CAI brought a one count Complaint for Breach of Contract against Vitex seeking as damages the amount of the four unpaid invoices. It now seeks Partial Summary Judgment on its Breach of Contract Claim as to three out of the four invoices. Vitex Cross-Moves for Summary Judgment on CAI’s claim seeking payment for three invoices. The parties-agree that Vitex had the right to return unopened containers of ink without charge or penalty. The dispute now concerns one or both of the following two categories of ink: (1) unopened containers Vitex decided to keep (and later used either for-printing purposes or to prepare- for this litigation); and, (2) so-called “work-off ink,” which is ink that Vitex recovered from a printing run and saved for future use.

Vitex has brought its own claims against CAI. It has Counterclaims for: (1) Declaratory Judgment that the “Additional Terms” on CAI’s invoices are not binding or enforceable; (2) Breach of Contract; (3) Breach of .the Implied Covenant of, Good Faith and Fair Dealing; (4) Breach of the Implied Warranty of Merchantability; (5) Breach of the Implied Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose; (6) Breach of Express Warranty;- (7) Deceptive Business Practices, Chapter 93A; (8) Tortious Interference with Contractual Relations; (9) Tortious Interference with Advantageous-Relations; (10) Fraudulent Misrepresentation;. and (11) Negligent Misrepresentation. Vitex now moves for Summary Judgment on all eleven (11) of its Counterclaims seeking over $1 million in damages. Finally, Vitex’s Counterclaim for Declaratory Judgment that the “Additional Terms” listed on the back side of CAI’s monthly invoices are not enforceable, presents a substantial dispute raised by .Vitex’s motion and CAI’s opposition. The Court treats CATs opposition as a cross-motion, on this issue only. The parties were notified of the Court’s treatment on this one issue, and .they were provided an opportunity for further briefing. The Court held a hearing on June 17, 2015. All pending motions relating to summary judgment are now ripe for decision.

II. .Material Facts -.

The material facts set forth herein are undisputed except where otherwise noted.1

CAI, located in Georgetown, Massachusetts, is a family-owned company that manufactures inks and coatings for the printing industry. (Doc. 48 ¶ 3.) CAI was founded by Vincent Sartorelli and his son Michael Sartorelli in 1985. (Vince Sarto-relli Aff. ¶ 1.) Vincent is CAI’s President, [172]*172his son, Mike Sartorelli is CAI’s Technical Director, and another ’son, Paul Sartorelli is CAI’s Treasurer. (RVSOF ¶ 1.) Vitex Packaging, Inc. is a subsidiary of Vitex Packaging Group, Inc., located in Suffolk, Virginia. (Doc. 47 at ¶ 2.) Vitex manufactures printed tea tags and envelopes for tea companies. (Id.) Vitex uses ink and ink products for printing its tea tags and tea bag envelopes, which Vitex then sells to its customers. (Id.)

In September of 2010, CAI began providing small amounts of water-based ink products to Vitex, • on a “straight charge basis.” (Ex. 3, Paul Sartorelli Depo. at 16.) At that time, CAI shipped the ink along with its invoice. (Id.) Then in January of 2011, Robert Hummel, on behalf of Vitex, went to CAI’s manufacturing plant in Georgetown. (Ex. 76, Hummell Depo. at- 52.) Hummel met with Hoyle -Cecil of CAI. (Ex. 10, Cecil Depo. at 40.) Hum-mell testified at deposition that it was his idea to request that CAI provide ink to Vitex on a “consignment” basis. (Ex. 76, Hummell Depo. at 53.) According to Hummell, this arrangement allowed Vitex to “bring in product and basically it freed up cash for [Vitex] because it didn’t hit [Vitex’s] books until” after. a “55-gallon drum” was opened. (Id,) At that meeting, Cecil (on behalf of CAI) agreed to provide Vitex with whatever quantity of ink Vitex needed on a consignment basis. (Ex. 10, Cecil Depo. at 40.) Also at that time, the parties discussed contract pricing, technical support and notice in case of a pricing increase. (Ex, 76, Hummell Depo. at 52.) Cecil testified at deposition thát he knew Vitex did not want to enter into a formal written agreement because it did not want to be bound to any supplier for any set period of time. (Ex. 10, Cecil Depo. at 41.) There is no testimony, no affidavit, no evidence submitted from anyone at Vitex regarding any discussions of other terms at that time.

Shortly after the meeting, CAI shipped ink to Vitex in accordance with the parties’ oral arrangement reached at the January 2011 meeting. (Ex. 77.) According to Hummell, Vitex would order the ink from CAI, and CAI would ship the ink. (Ex. 76, Hummell Depo. at 53.) Then Vitex would “use” some containers of ink. At the end of every month, Cecil would go to Vitex’s plant and with a representative of Vitex, and they would determine the amount of ink Vitex “used” that month. (VSOF ¶¶ 12, 137; CSOF ¶ 10.) For billing purposes, the undisputed facts establish that, for any pail, drum or tote of CAI ink ' opened during the month, CAI would bill Vitex for the entire pail, drum or tote rather than the specific quantity of ink actually used. (Id.)

The first invoice issued in connection with the consignment agreement was on February 28, 2011. (Ex. 77.) According to Vitex, CAI sent the same invoice to all its customers and Vince Sartorelli testified that he believed and hoped that the invoice was sent to all customers for CAI’s protection. (Ex.l, Vince Sartorelli Depo. at 52.) The back of every invoice contained “Additional 'Terms.” Approximately twenty eight (28) such invoices were sent to Vitex from between February of 2011, to March of 2013. (Ex. 77 and Exs. C, G, H.) During the parties’ relationship, Vitex never raised any objection to the terms contained .on CAI’s invoice.,

■ Beginning in March of 2012, after Vitex had received and paid approximately fourteen monthly invoices, (Ex. 77), Vitex did make complaints regarding the quality of CAI’s products. (VSOF ¶ 30.) However, it voiced no concern or objection about the additional terms.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Barbour v. Dynamics Research Corp.
63 F.3d 32 (First Circuit, 1995)
JOM, Inc. v. Adell Plastics, Inc.
151 F.3d 15 (First Circuit, 1998)
Trans-Spec Truck Service, Inc. v. Caterpillar Inc.
524 F.3d 315 (First Circuit, 2008)
Prescott v. Higgins
538 F.3d 32 (First Circuit, 2008)
Ace Chemical Corp. v. Atomic Paint Co., Inc.
229 S.E.2d 55 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1976)
Boston Helicopter Charter, Inc. v. Agusta Aviation Corp.
767 F. Supp. 363 (D. Massachusetts, 1991)
Logan Equipment Corp. v. Simon Aerials, Inc.
736 F. Supp. 1188 (D. Massachusetts, 1990)
Glyptal Inc. v. Engelhard Corp.
801 F. Supp. 887 (D. Massachusetts, 1992)
Deerskin Trading Post, Inc. v. Spencer Press, Inc.
495 N.E.2d 303 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1986)
Toyomenka (America), Inc. v. Combined Metals Corp.
487 N.E.2d 1172 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1985)
Delano Growers' Cooperative Winery v. Supreme Wine Co.
473 N.E.2d 1066 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1985)
Fortin v. Ox-Bow Marina, Inc.
557 N.E.2d 1157 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
115 F. Supp. 3d 168, 87 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 78, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93201, 2015 WL 4396266, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cai-inc-v-vitex-packaging-group-inc-mad-2015.