BASF Wins Lawsuit Against Supplier

On Monday, Aug. 13, a jury in Morris County, N.J., returned a verdict in favor of client BASF, in a contract dispute lawsuit against Lyondell Chemical.  Following a seven-week trial, the jury deliberated for three days before ordering Lyondell to pay BASF $170 million in damages.  BASF had sued Lyondell for overcharging it for propylene oxide, a compound that BASF uses to make polyols, a substance used in making all sorts of goods, from gym floors to adhesives.

In the story, Assaf noted that the award "reflects their belief that Lyondell had overcharged BASF significantly over many years."  BASF discovered that Lyondell had charged other customers less than BASF, and then tried to hide that fact, Assaf said.  "The cover-up only confirmed they knew they were overcharging," he said.

This article appeared in its entirety in the August 14, 2007 edition of The Times.