Electro Chemical Engineering & Manufacturing Co. v. Kovatch Truck Center Inc.

9 Pa. D. & C.4th 146, 1991 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 352
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Carbon County
DecidedJanuary 31, 1991
Docketno. 89-0632
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Pa. D. & C.4th 146 (Electro Chemical Engineering & Manufacturing Co. v. Kovatch Truck Center Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Carbon County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Electro Chemical Engineering & Manufacturing Co. v. Kovatch Truck Center Inc., 9 Pa. D. & C.4th 146, 1991 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 352 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991).

Opinion

DAVENPORT, S.J.,

specially presiding,

On March 20, 1989 plaintiff initiated a cause of action against defendant seeking $152,988, plus interest and costs, for breach and repudiation of the parties alleged agreement, and $5,300, plus interest, for labor and materials furnished for 10 units already completed.

By order dated November 8, 1990, the undersigned entered summary judgment for defendant and against plaintiff on counts I and II of plaintiff’s complaint, and further ordered that summary judgment be entered for plaintiff and against defendant on count III of plaintiff’s complaint in the amount of $5,300.

Plaintiff appeals.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff and defendant have stipulated to the following agreed statement of facts:

[147]*147(1) On or about February 2, 1988, plaintiff issued to defendant its proposal to furnish labor and materials to fabricate and install a 3/32-inch-thick plasticized PVC sheet lining to the internal areas of water tanks on P-2 crash trucks at defendant’s facility at Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, for the price of $5,300 per unit for 120 units.

(2) By letter dated February 29, 1988, plaintiff at the request of defendant provided additional cost information concerning its February 2, 1988 proposal.

(3) On or about March 28, 1988, plaintiff at the request of defendant completed and furnished to defendant a “Contract Pricing Proposal Cover Sheet” relating to the lining of the P-2 water tanks.

(4) On or about August 1, 1988, defendant issued to plaintiff its purchase order for plaintiff to furnish labor and materials for the lining of the water tanks on the P-2 crash trucks.

(5) Defendant’s August 1, 1988, purchase order stated that the work was to be performed by plaintiff “as required.”

(6) On or about August 9, 1988, plaintiff issued to defendant an order acknowledgment relating to defendant’s August 1, 1988 purchase order.

(7) The order acknowledgment, dated August 9, 1988, stated, in part, that plaintiff’s price “is based on doing two tanks per month for 60 months and will be firm for a three-year period. . .”

(8) The parties entered into a contract whereby plaintiff was to furnish the labor and material described in its proposal at the price of $5,300 per unit.

(9) Plaintiff commenced work under the contract during the month of August 1988 and completed 10 units before the end of October 1988.

(10) By letter dated August 19, 1988, plaintiff notified defendant, among other things, that its proposal was based on a minimum of two trailers per [148]*148month, working five days per week, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

(11) Plaintiff temporarily discontinued performance under the contract in October 1988. See paragraph 13.

(12) During the months of October and November 1988, defendant made several requests by telephone that plaintiff resume performance under the contract. Plaintiff rejected these requests and responded that it did not have sufficient personnel to resume the work at that time.

(13) By letter dated November 3, 1988, plaintiff stated to defendant that the 10 units already completed had fulfilled plaintiff’s contractual obligations through the end of December 1988, and further stated that plaintiff did not anticipate having personnel available to continue performing the contract until January 1989.

(14) By letter dated December 2, 1988, defendant notified plaintiff that it was terminating the contract between plaintiff and defendant effective immediately for the reasons stated therein.

(15) By letter dated December 5, 1988, plaintiff notified defendant that it would have personnel available to work on the contract as of December 7, 1988.

(16) The parties stipulate that plaintiff’s damages in this action are $38,300 ($300 per unit for 110 units plus $5,300 unpaid for one unit), and defendants have zero damages on their counterclaim.

ISSUE ON APPEAL

Whether the Agreement Between the Parties Is Governed by Common Law or Pennsylvania Uniform Commercial Code Sales

Plaintiff alleges that since the agreement provides that plaintiff was to supply defendant with specially [149]*149manufactured goods, it was a contract for the sale of goods under the Pennsylvania Commercial Code. This court disagrees.

Title 13 Pa.C.S. §2102 is the applicable statute. Section 2102 deals with the scope of the Uniform Commercial Code — Sales. It provides, in part, “Unless the context otherwise requires, this division applies to transactions in goods. . .”

Goods are defined by 13 Pa.C.S. §2105(a). It provides, in part, ‘“Goods’ means all things (including specially manufactured goods) which are movable at the time of identification to the contract for sale. . .”

Initially, this court must ascertain whether the subject matter of the contract was movable at the time of its identification to the contract. The facts indicate that plaintiff proposed to furnish labor and materials to fabricate and install a 3/32-inch-thick plasticized PVC sheet lining to the internal areas of water tanks on P-2 crash trucks.

There is nothing in the record which indicates that the materials were movable at the time of their identification to the alleged contract. Moreover, there is nothing to indicate that plaintiff was ever the seller of the liners.

The facts, however, do indicate that there is a mixed proposal where plaintiff was to provide both materials and labor (services). Generally, it is said that where materials are furnished or consumed in connection with the rendering of services, the contract will ordinarily be considered to be outside the coverage of the Uniform Commercial Code.

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Bluebook (online)
9 Pa. D. & C.4th 146, 1991 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 352, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/electro-chemical-engineering-manufacturing-co-v-kovatch-truck-center-pactcomplcarbon-1991.