E. J. Brach & Sons v. United States

65 Cust. Ct. 718, 317 F. Supp. 264, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3068
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 26, 1970
DocketR.D. 11721; Entry No. 891521
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 65 Cust. Ct. 718 (E. J. Brach & Sons v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
E. J. Brach & Sons v. United States, 65 Cust. Ct. 718, 317 F. Supp. 264, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3068 (cusc 1970).

Opinion

RichakdsoN, Judge:

The merchandise the subject of this reap-praisment appeal consists of certain waxed, metal covered paper which was imported in rolls by plaintiff from Holland for use in wrapping candies manufactured by it in this country. The paper is described on the invoice as “FW402GS OP-2 sides waxed bleached opaque GIP. 40 grs/sqm. Paper printed 1 colour and provided with aluminum cen-trestrip 1" wide printed in 3 colours and coloured foil twistends %" wide. Rolls: 3y2" x 3" x 91/2//,” was manufactured by Cats-Neparofa of Holland, and was exported from that country on November 26,1965.

It appears from the record that the merchandise was entered at $1,310 U.S. dollars per 2000 pounds; and that it was appraised on the basis of foreign value as defined in 19 U.S.C.A., section 1402 (c) (section 402a (c), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956) at Dutch florins 5351.30 per 2000 pounds net, plus the cost of export packing in the amount of $122 U.S. dollars. Plaintiff contends that there is no foreign, export, or United States value for the merchandise, and that, therefore, the merchandise must be appraised as entered on the basis of cost of production value. Plaintiff’s basic argument is that the imported paper and paper sold to others are imprinted with the purchasers’ designs and insignia and are, [720]*720therefore, not commercially interchangeable. Defendant contends that the merchandise was properly appraised on the basis of its foreign value, defendant’s argument being that despite the specific color, design, or printing which is placed on the paper at the purchasers’ order, the paper purchased by each purchaser is, nevertheless, similar to the paper purchased by any other purchaser. No question is raised about the fact that the merchandise at bar is on the final list promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury.

With a view toward negativing the existence of foreign, export and United States values for the imported paper and supporting the claim cost of production value therefor, plaintiff introduced into evidence at the trial, among other things, an affidavit of M.A. van Dongen dated September 19,1968 (exhibit 1), export manager of Cats-Nepa-rofa, the manufacturer and exporter of the involved paper. After stating his qualification on the matter of knowledge of his company’s export and home market policies the van Dongen affidavit states on the subject of home and export markets:

5. The merchandise covered by invoice No. 9796 consisted of waxed bleached paper printed 1 color and covered with alu-minium [sic] centrestrip 1" wide printed in 8 colors and colored foil twist ends %" wide, in rolls 3x 3" x 9%"’.
This shipment as is the case with all shipments to E.J. Brach & Sons, was specially ordered and manufactured to suit their requirements for candy wrappers. By this I mean that the paper was manufactured in the sizes needed by E.J. Brach & Sons for their candy; the design, and the colors and the style of printing were specified by E.J. Brach & Sons; and the paper was also imprinted with the name “Brach’s” as well as various flavours as specified by E.J. Brach & Sons and as described on invoice No. 9796.
6. As export manager I also have personal knowledge of class or kind of paper which Cats-Neparofa has sold and sells to other candy manufacturers in the United States and Holland and other countries. All of these customers send us specifications for the kind of paper which they want, and design of the printing, and the names of candy flavours to be imprinted; and the paper is also imprinted with the name of each candy manufacturer. Each order is specially manufactured to the design and specifications of each customer, and this has always been true.
7. There are attached to this affidavit several samples of the papers which my company manufactures for typical customers who are candy manufacturers in Holland, the United States, and other countries.
8. The selling prices of the paper which Cats-Neparofa sells to candy manufacturers defends upon a number of factors including the quality, the width, the number of colors to be [721]*721printed, and the widths of the metal foil, and this has always been the case.
9. Sine [sic] each order is specially manufactured for a particular candy manufacturer, the papers ordered by any candy manufacturer cannot be shipped to fill an order of any other customers; paper which is imprinted with the name of one candy manufacturer would be useless to anyone else; and this has always been so.

And the van Dongen affidavit, after stating the affiant’s qualifications for knowing the selling practices and policies of his company’s competitors in Holland, who are identified as being StjpeRieur Ver-pakkingen N.V., EtteN-Leur and Papier Metaal N.V., ZutpheN, goes on to state:

11. I have seen samples of the candy wrapper papers made by the above companies. From the samples and from my knowledge of their business, I declare that the candy wrapper papers produced by these companies are specially made to order for their customers, and imprinted with the names and designs of their customers; and that these companies have never offered or sold any goods to E. J. Brach & Sons; and all of these facts have been true since at least the year 1961.

Plaintiff also introduced into evidence as exhibit 8 the affidivat of J. C. van Bussel dated September 19,1968, domestic sales manager of Cats-Neparofa. The van Bussel affidavit corroborates the statements made in paragraphs 6, 8, 9 and 11 of the van Dongen affidavit as noted herein.

And plaintiff called as a witness one Harold L. Preston, assistant director of purchasing for E. J. Brach & Sons, a candy manufacturer and the plaintiff herein. Mr. Preston testified in connection with the purchase of the instant merchandise from Cats-Neparofa, with whom plaintiff commenced doing business in 1959. Through this witness it was established that the involved importations came in on 3%" wide rolls, with a 9%" outside diameter, on 3" wooden spools packed six rolls to a case, had a center strip of foil and end strips of foil, possessed definite specifications as to thickness, composition, water content, wax coating and yield per pound, art work, printing and colors, and had to withstand a certain amount of twisting. The witness testified that in application the paper is put on a Fargrove machine in rolls and threaded so that it will meet the candy as it is coming from a cutting device — little metal twisting fingers causing the ends of the paper to twist and the candy to be sealed within the cut-off piece of wrapping paper.

Mr. Preston referred to a sample of the imported papers which was put in evidence as exhibit 4 as being similar to those manufactured [722]*722for other companies around the world (R.17). And in his concluding testimony given on cross-examination, Mr. Preston testified (R.31-32):

Q. You indicated that the price had not varied ? — A. No ma’am, not to my recollection. We have had, maybe it is five years ago we had a price increase, four or five years ago. I would have to check my records.
Q. Isn’t it true that the price depends in part on the number of colors used in the paper s — A. On, yes ma’am. Perhaps I misunderstood you.

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Bluebook (online)
65 Cust. Ct. 718, 317 F. Supp. 264, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3068, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/e-j-brach-sons-v-united-states-cusc-1970.