Skellerup defending 'unsubsantiated' NZD7.3m claim in rubber ring dispute

ERJ staff report (BC)

Auckland, New Zealand – Skellerup, the industrial rubber goods manufacturer, has rubbished a NZD7.3m claim by PVC pipe maker Marley New Zealand, reports Paul McBeth of the National Business Review, saying the value of the rubber rings supplied was about one tenth of that figure.

The Auckland-based company will defend itself against "unsubstantiated claims" by Marley, relating to rubber rings supplied to order for an irrigation system, it is reported as saying in a statement.

Skellerup says the value of the rings supplied during the period of the claim was less than NZD750 000.

Marley claims rubber rings it bought from Skellerup to use as seals in its pipes between 2006 and 2009 did not meet Australian and New Zealand standards and were not watertight, and is suing Skellerup for losses suffered as a result.

A 2 July judgment by Justice Edwin Wylie, published online on 29 July, found Skellerup's draft statement of defence was "impenetrable".

Because the statements of claim and defence were still in draft stage, the judge reserved leave for Marley to come back to the court if it was still "unhappy with Skellerup's amended statement of defence".

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Full article from National Business Review