Ford Motor Co. v. Auto Supply Co.

480 F. Supp. 947, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15713
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nebraska
DecidedSeptember 5, 1978
DocketCiv. No. 76-0-300
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 480 F. Supp. 947 (Ford Motor Co. v. Auto Supply Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nebraska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ford Motor Co. v. Auto Supply Co., 480 F. Supp. 947, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15713 (D. Neb. 1978).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

SCHATZ, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Ford Motor Company, brought this lawsuit to recover money it claims to be due from defendants following termination of the direct account sales agreement between the parties. The matter was tried to this Court sitting without a jury and is now ready for disposition.

Plaintiff, Ford Motor Company, is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and has its principal place of business in a state other than Nebraska. Defendant, Auto Supply Company, Inc., is a corporation organized and existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Nebraska with its principal place of business in Omaha, Nebraska. Defendant Harold H. Karp is a citizen of the State of Nebraska and is president, director and chairman of defendant Auto Supply Company. Defendant Maurine K. Karp is a citizen of the State of Nebraska and is vice president, secretary, director and shareholder of Auto Supply Company, Inc. The amount in controversy in this action exceeds the sum of $10,000. Jurisdiction of this Court is based on 28 U.S.C. § 1332. This memorandum constitutes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Plaintiff, Ford Motor Company (hereafter Ford) manufactures and sells motor vehicles and parts therefor. Eleven lines of parts, supplies and accessories are either manufactured by Ford or to its specifications. Along with various other channels of distribution, Ford sells these parts to direct accounts which are independent companies contractually authorized to buy and sell such parts. Defendant Auto Supply Company (hereafter Auto Supply) entered into a direct account sales agreement with Ford on May 9, 1969, entitling it to purchase Ford parts directly and resell them. In Ford’s parts distribution system, Auto Supply was classified as a warehouse distributor (WD). Warehouse distributors in turn sell Ford parts primarily to wholesalers, fleet accounts and government accounts. If Ford is satisfied that wholesalers are in fact reselling parts primarily at wholesale to retail outlets, the wholesaler is eligible to become a recorded wholesaler.

The various levels of distribution of Ford parts are reflected not only in the flow of [950]*950those parts from the manufacturer to the consumer but also in Ford’s pricing system. Ford’s published price list states the regular price to a wholesaler. A warehouse distributor automatically receives ten per cent off of this price on all purchases. Warehouse distributors are also entitled to receive a discount known as a redistribution allowance for sales to recorded wholesalers, fleet or government accounts. The amount of this redistribution allowance varies with the percentage of sales of the warehouse distributor to recorded wholesalers, as indicated by an affidavit of sales redistribution filed periodically with Ford, and with the redistribution allowance factor assigned for the particular product line. In addition to redistribution allowances, a warehouse distributor is entitled to an additional rebate known as a recompensation allowance upon submission of documentation indicating that products sold by the warehouse distributor to a recorded wholesaler are subsequently sold to a fleet or government account.

Defendant Harold Karp had for several years been involved in the automotive parts business in Council Bluffs, Iowa, doing business as H. K. Auto Supply, Inc. (hereafter H. K.). H. K. Auto Supply, Inc., was a wholesaler of various brands of parts and supplies, including plaintiff’s products. In 1969 Mr. Karp established a new business known as Auto Supply Company, Inc., which entered into the direct account sales agreement with plaintiff as. mentioned above. At the time that Auto Supply entered into this agreement, a security agreement was executed on behalf of the corporation in which Harold and Maurine Karp, husband and wife, provided a personal surety agreement guaranteeing Auto Supply’s account with Ford. The Karps wished to have H. K. approved as a recorded wholesaler, thus enabling Auto Supply to receive redistribution allowances for sales from Auto Supply to H. K. Such approval was available under the policies and procedures established by Ford provided the warehouse distributor, Auto Supply, executed an affidavit of affiliation describing the relationship between the two companies and assuring that the two companies would be operated as independent businesses. Such an affidavit was first submitted July 8, 1969, and. resubmitted May 10, 1971, and March 19, 1973.

Auto Supply purchased parts, supplies and accessories from Ford and resold them to various wholesalers, including H. K., during the period from May, 1969, through August, 1975, receiving redistribution and recompensation allowances. In July, 1975, Ford conducted a routine audit of Auto Supply, as permitted under the terms of the direct account sales agreement, which stated:

To assure the Company that Direct Account is carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, Direct Account shall permit persons designated by the Company, at reasonable times and intervals during normal business hours, to examine Direct Account’s records, contracts and accounts relating to, or including any data relating to, the sale or servicing of Autolite-Ford parts. Direct Account shall retain for at least two years all records, contracts and accounts upon which claims to the company for refund, credit, rebate, incentive, allowance, discount, reimbursement or other payment of any kind have been made.

This audit included verification of Auto Supply’s reports to Ford, the affidavit of affiliation and the books and records of the direct account.

As a result of the audit, Ford determined that there existed violations of the provisions of the affidavit of affiliation regarding maintenance of separate business operations between Auto Supply and H. K. Having made this determination Ford concluded that H. K. was not eligible for recorded wholesaler status and sought to recover the redistribution and recompensation allowances paid to Auto Supply on sales to H. K. In an effort to reduce the amount of this recovery, Ford offered and defendants ultimately agreed to extend the audit so as to consider Auto Supply and H. K. as one entity, thus permitting the one entity to receive any discounts allowable on sales [951]*951from either of the entities to other recorded wholesalers. The audit balances were modified, the audit extended to include an additional two years, and a final charge-back determined. The direct account sales agreement was terminated and inventory in the possession of the direct account returned to Ford. After offsetting the credit for returned inventory against the amount of the charge-back resulting from the audit, Ford demanded payment and now brings suit to recover a claimed outstanding balance of $465,475.42, plus interest.

Defendants contend that no violations of the affidavits of affiliation exist, that the charge-backs for disallowed discounts are improper, that defendant is estopped from making such charge-backs, and that the amounts of the charge-backs claimed are excessive.

Turning first to the basis upon which Ford determined that sales to H. K. were not eligible for redistribution or recompensation allowances, the Court must determine whether Auto Supply and H. K. were being operated as separate business entities. Each affidavit of affiliation executed by Auto Supply stated that although Auto Supply and H. K.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
480 F. Supp. 947, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15713, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ford-motor-co-v-auto-supply-co-ned-1978.