Reed & Prince Mfg. Co. v. Lear, Inc.

78 F. Supp. 394, 1948 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2489
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedJune 7, 1948
DocketCiv. No. 1041
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 78 F. Supp. 394 (Reed & Prince Mfg. Co. v. Lear, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reed & Prince Mfg. Co. v. Lear, Inc., 78 F. Supp. 394, 1948 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2489 (W.D. Mich. 1948).

Opinion

STARR, District Judge.

Plaintiff is a manufacturer of bolts, screws, rivets, and other specialities in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Defendant is a manufacturer of radios and other products in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. On March 25, 1946, defendant gave a written purchase order, which plaintiff accepted, for 3,216,000 bolts (also referred to as screws) at a price of $2.80 a thousand. The parties subsequently agreed to reduce the number of bolts ordered to 1,785,000 and to increase the price to $3.13 a thousand. The bolt was designed by defendant, [396]*396and a drawing accompanying its order specified the dimensions of the holt and the tolerance allowable in the diameter of the knurled or fluted portion thereof.

In its order defendant specified that delivery of bolts was “requested” at the rate of 357,000 on April 15, 1946, 357,000 on the 15th of each month thereafter through September, and 358,000 on the 15th days of October, November and December. The order further stated: “Partial shipment urgently needed early May. Quoted delivery — 1st shipment about 8 weeks.” The order also contained, among other things, the. following- provisions:

“(3) Inspection: All materials or articles ordered will be subject to final inspection and approval at the plant of the Buygj» ^ ^ %

“(11) The Buyer reserves the right to cancel order if material is not shipped within specified time, or if the quality of the articles is not as specified herein, but any such cancellation shall release Seller from any obligation accruing before such cancellation. * * *

“(16) * * * Upon receipt of any notice of cancellation the Seller shall, unless the notice otherwise directs, immediately discontinue all work and the placing of all orders for materials and supplies in connection with this order and shall immediately cancel all existing orders and subcontracts made hereunder. Notice of cancellation may be given in person or by telephone, telegraph or other writing.”

During the summer of 1946, there passed between the parties a series of telegrams, telephone calls, and correspondence in which defendant was pressing for delivery of bolts and in which plaintiff was indicating its inability to make delivery. Plaintiff made its first shipment of 370 bolts to defendant on August 8, 1946, and made subsequent shipments as follows: August 20th, 9,650; August 22d, 24,000; September 9th, 90,000; September 20th, 24,610; October 3d, 50,970. These shipments totaled 199,600 bolts.

On October 15th defendant wired plaintiff: “Hold production shipments and purchase of material. * * * Formal change and instructions to follow.” Plaintiff’s reply wire on October 16th stated: “Entire balance due your order R14466 in process of manufacture. Have held up production and shipment pending further word from you. Advise.” On November 6th defendant rejected and shipped back to plaintiff approximately 165,580 of the bolts it had •received, and its “debit memo” to plaintiff for these rejected bolts stated in part:

“1. The following dimensions were found to be out of drawing tolerance: * - * * Knurl is tapered .001 also undersize from .001 to .002. * * *

“2. The above goods were rejected and are being returned to you under separate cover. * * *

“4. The above goods are being returned to you for the following reason: Credit.” On November 22d defendant wired plaintiff : “Cancel balance on our order R14466. Acknowledge no liability to Lear Inc for such cancellation.” Plaintiff replied by wire on November 25th as follows: “Cannot cancel order R14466 without submitting cancellation charges. * * * Advise return wire.”

Defendant retained and paid for 34,020 of the bolts it had received, and it may be noted that this 34,020 and the 165,580 which it had rejected and returned, comprised the total of 199,600 which plaintiff had shipped' on the order of March 25th. When defendant canceled the balance of its order on November - 22d, plaintiff had on hand, in addition to the 165,580 bolts returned by defendant, approximately 1,585,-400 bolts which were in process of manufacture. On December 3d plaintiff wrote defendant as follows:

“The total quantity (of bolts) had been put into process and was in various stages of completion when you requested us to cancel.

“We are holding 160,400 pieces which have been completed and the balance is still in process. On the completed pieces full price will apply making a charge of $502.05. The cost of the goods in process has been figured to the point of cancellation and is $1,877.14. This makes a total charge of $2,379.19 to cancel the whole order.

“As you know all orders for special goods are accepted only under the condition [397]*397that they may not be cancelled without our permission.

“If work has not started on an order or material purchased for it, we are glad to cancel without cost. On orders which have been put into process, however, we are unable to cancel without cost as the goods have no market and are of value only to the customer for whom they are being manufactured.

“Will you please let us know whether you wish the order completed or whether we shall render an invoice to cover the costs noted above.”

On December 18th defendant replied as follows:

“With reference to your letter of December 3, * * * may we advise that your failure to deliver the item on this order in accord with our requested delivery schedule and your quotation to us has cost this company thousands of dollars besides the amounts of monies spent in attempting to expedite your company for shipments. Under these circumstances this company would have every right to hold you liable for our loss due to your default. However, it is our endeavor to maintain a friendly relationship with those companies with whom we have business dealings. We shall expect your confirmation that this order has been cancelled without charge.

“In addition to the foregoing, may we draw your attention to the huge amounts of unsatisfactory material which has been returned for credit, as not being in accord with our specifications. This to us is self evidence of our justification in cancelling this agreement without charge.”

The foregoing facts relate only to defendant’s order of March 25, 1946, the delivery and rejection of bolts covered by that order, and defendant’s cancellation on November 22d. Turning now to another transaction between these parties, it appears that on September 23d defendant wired plaintiff as follows: “We are mailing our purchase order for 22,000 each 1/2x2 and 3/8x2 slotted oval countersunk head wood screws statuary bronze finish your quotation September 19.”

On the same date defendant, as indicated in this telegram, mailed its purchase order to plaintiff reading in part as follows: “22,000 part No. 12719 wood screw No. 2 x 3/8 — slotted oval countersunk head steel statuary bronze finish — 1.07/M. * * * 22,000 part No. 12718 wood screw, No. 2 x 1/2" slotted oval countersunk head statuarj' bronze finish — 1.14/M.”

The parties subsequently agreed to cancel that part of the order relating to “part No. 12718 wood screw, No. 2 x 1/2".” When plaintiff received defendant’s telegram of September 23d, it entered an order for 22,000, % x 2, wood screws, and when it received defendant’s purchase order by mail, which was referred to in the telegram, it entered another order for the same number and kind of screws. About October 23d plaintiff delivered 22,000 screws and defendant paid therefor.

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Related

Far East Services Corp. v. Tracker Marine, L.L.C.
246 S.W.3d 486 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2007)
Reed & Prince Manufacturing Co. v. Lear, Inc.
174 F.2d 208 (Sixth Circuit, 1949)

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Bluebook (online)
78 F. Supp. 394, 1948 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2489, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reed-prince-mfg-co-v-lear-inc-miwd-1948.