The ongoing legal battle between Jeld-Wen and Steves and Sons (Steves) shows no signs of slowing down, as several updates have surfaced in the case. Since November 2019, Jeld-Wen has not only filed an appeal, but also a response to a motion for clarification. According to court documents, the door and window manufacturer asked the court to clarify if a previous order “applies prospectively to Steves future doorskin purchases.”

“Nowhere in its response does Steves take a position on the straightforward question of whether the court’s order is forward-looking or not. Instead, Steves sidesteps the issue altogether, and devotes its response to arguing why Jeld-Wen ‘should lower its prices,’ using the baseline Steves has calculated, regardless of whether there is ‘a direct and explicit court order’ that requires Jeld-Wen to adjust its prospective pricing,” a portion of Jeld-Wen’s motion for clarification reads.

Steves, however, repeatedly stated it has faced hardships over the company’s prices, and as a result, officials said they believe that Jeld-Wen should make reductions. Following these advancements, Steves filed a motion asking the court to approve an order that would require Jeld-Wen to do the following:

• Fill Steves orders issued between Weeks 44-52 of 2019;
• Immediately provide verification of the events and factors warranting the notice of allocation served by Jeld-Wen on December 19, 2019, and to supply weekly updates on those events and factors while the impairment to its ability to meet demand continues;
• Apply Steves’ 2019 percentage number to the allocation period; and
• Comply with the supply agreement, including filling Steves’ weekly orders that are commercially reasonable, properly applying allocation, and meeting its verification obligations.

The court has yet to file a response to clarify if its previous motion applies to Steves’ future doorskin purchases. Look to a future edition for continued coverage of the suit.