United Industries, Inc. v. Simon-Hartley, Ltd.

848 F. Supp. 656, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4565, 1994 WL 121865
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Louisiana
DecidedApril 5, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. 89-411-B
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 848 F. Supp. 656 (United Industries, Inc. v. Simon-Hartley, Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Industries, Inc. v. Simon-Hartley, Ltd., 848 F. Supp. 656, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4565, 1994 WL 121865 (M.D. La. 1994).

Opinion

OPINION

POLOZOLA, District Judge.

This case requires the Court to determine the scope and meaning of a license agreement which exists between United Industries, Inc. (“United”) and Simon-Hartley, LTD. (“SHL”).1 United contends that the license agreement gives it the exclusive right to market SHL’s Simcar vertical aerator in conjunction with United’s own Boat intra-channel clarifier and the non-exclusive right [658]*658to market the Simear vertical aerator by itself. On the other hand, SHL contends that the license agreement only gives United the exclusive right to market SHL’s Simear vertical aerator in conjunction with United’s Boat intra-channel clarifier. SHL also asserts, by way of counterclaim, that it was the victim of fraud on the part of United and the agreement should be rescinded.

After conducting a lengthy trial in this case, the Court issued a memorandum opinion which provided:

(1) the licensing agreement dated October 8, 1988, shall be rectified to allow plaintiff to market the Simear vertical aerator in both boat and non-boat applications;
(2) defendant’s counterclaim for rescission shall be dismissed.

The Court now sets forth detailed reasons for its decision. In formulating the Court’s findings of fact, the Court took into consideration the credibility of the witnesses who testified in this case. The Court must note that the credibility of the witnesses was a major issue in this case and played a major role in the Court’s determination of the facts in this case. The Court must also note that the facts of this case were complex and technical. For this reason, some background information is needed to define the terminology, products and companies involved in this case.

I. Background

United and SHL are both members of the sewage treatment industry. United manufactures and sells equipment for use in oxidation ditches. An oxidation ditch is an elongated ditch with a center partition in which sewage is treated by the addition of oxygen. An aerator is placed within the oxidation ditch in order to add oxygen to the sewage and keep the sewage moving around the ditch at sufficient velocity to prevent the settlement of solid particles within the sewage.

.Prior to May 5, 1987, the use of a vertical turbine aerator in an oxidation ditch was subject to a patent. The patent rights were licensed by DHV2, a corporation from the Netherlands, to Eimco Process Equipment Company (“Eimco”) who marketed an aerator under the trade name “Carrousel.” Eim-co also sold a vertical turbine called the Hubert aerator. The only other comparable aerator used in the United States is the Simear aerator, to which SHL holds the patent. SHL has licensed the right to market the aerator to its sister corporation in the United States, Ashbrook-Simon-Hartley (“ASH”). Although the license agreement between ASH and SHL bears the date June 1, 1988, this license agreement was not reduced to writing until after the agreement between SHL and United was executed.3 ASH has not actively marketed the Simear aerator since the expiration of the patent licensed to Eimco. ASH also markets two aerators from which SHL receives no royalties and which can be used instead of the more expensive Simear aerator in some applications.

Once the sewage is agitated by an aerator, the second stage of sewage treatment is clarification, a process by which solids are separated from liquids. The Boat clarifier, which is also known as the Scumsucker, is a hydraulic device that sits in the oxidation ditch. The sewage, stirred by the aerator, enters the back of the Boat where the solids settle. The remaining fluid then is sucked out the bottom of the Boat through tubes. Beard Engineering is the corporate parent of both United Industries and Beard International. Harold Beard serves as chairman of the board of United and president of Beard International. United is the holder of the United States patent for the Boat intra-chan-nel clarifier and markets the Boat in the United States. Beard International licenses the Boat outside the United States. In 1986, Beard International granted a license to Simon Hartley.

II. Findings of Fact

To boost the sales of its Boat clarifier, United initially tried to develop its own vertical turbine aerator, which it called the Spinnaker. In 1987, Beard started to design and [659]*659test models of an aerator. By 1988, Beard had developed two scale models. When it became obvious that Beard no longer had the facilities to test larger versions of its aerator design, it sought to have a ten-foot diameter model tested in a working oxidation ditch in Morgan City. It was also clear that more development was needed before this aerator design could be offered for sale. Harold Beard also believed that United would have to have substantial funds to market his newly developed aerator.

For these reasons, United began to negotiate with ASH for a license to market the Simcar vertical turbine aerator. Beard attempted to negotiate an original equipment agreement or “OEM” with Michael Hartley, who was not a representative of ASH, whereby United could buy or manufacture equipment designed by ASH for sale under the United trade name. However, due to opposition from ASH, an agreement could not be reached.

On May 6, 1988, Beard wrote a letter to Robin Millard, the managing director of SHL, expressing his disappointment that SHL had not sold more Boat clarifiers.4 Beard suggested that SHL should either buy Beard International and the patent rights to the Boat clarifier outside of the United States or renegotiate the current Boat license agreement to include minimum royalty provisions. Millard responded by fax on May 20, 1988 and recommended that Beard and he meet in England or the United States to discuss the possible acquisition of Beard International by SHL.5 At this time, neither party had mentioned or discussed the possibility of negotiating a license agreement for the Simcar aerator between United and SHL.6

In June of 1988, Beard went to England where he met with Millard .over two days. During the meeting on the first night, Beard and Millard held discussions while having drinks. Millard explained to Beard that SHL had just taken on a project using Boat clarifiers which would generate about four million dollars in revenue. The testimony revealed that Beard was impressed with this project.

On the following day, the parties engaged in a discussion which lasted approximately two-hours. During this discussion, Beard and Millard talked about the possible sale of Beard International to SHL. The parties also engaged in a minor discussion about Beard visiting a site where he could explain Boat clarifier applications. The sale discussions were expanded by Millard to include Beard Engineering and United because Millard was uncomfortable with not knowing what would become of the relationship between the three companies once Beard International ceased to be controlled by Beard.

In order to show what his companies were worth to Millard, Beard showed Millard a sales/profit projection graph covering the years 1987 through 2002. The trend reflected in the graph line ran up to $9.57 million. Beard arrived at this figure for .1988 projected sales by making the following calculations. In 1987, United received 145 inquiries for Boat clarifiers.

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Related

United Industries v. Simon-Hartley D
51 F.3d 1043 (Fifth Circuit, 1995)

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848 F. Supp. 656, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4565, 1994 WL 121865, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-industries-inc-v-simon-hartley-ltd-lamd-1994.