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Status as of 01.12.2007
I. Validity, conclusion of the contract
01 The following Conditions of Sale and Payment, as well as any separate
contractual agreements, shall apply to all our supplies and services to
our customer hereinafter named customer.
02 Any deviating General Terms and Conditions of Business of the customer
shall not form part of the contract, even through our acceptance of the
order.
03 In the absence of a separate agreement, a contract shall materialise
upon our written confirmation of the order. In the absence of any separate
agreement, the type and scope of supplies and services shall substantially
be in conformity with our order confirmation.
II. Offer, reservation of right to make amendments
01 All offers shall always be subject to confirmation.
02 The documents forming part of our offers, such as illustrations, drawings
and details of weights and measures are only approximate values and, as
such, are only applicable in so far as they are not expressly designated
binding.
03 Any amendments to the technical design of the goods ordered shall be
admissible in so far as a significant change in function does not occur
thereby or the customer does not prove that the change is unreasonable
for it.
04 We reserve our unrestricted ownership and our comprehensive intellectual
property rights and copyrights in cost estimates, drawings, models, plans
and any other documentation in material and immaterial form, in particular
electronic form. They are to be treated confidentially and may not be
made accessible to third parties.
III. Prices and payment terms
01 In the absence of any special agreement, our prices are always quoted
in EUROs ex works. Within the country, the statutory applicable rate of VAT
shall apply in addition to the prices. In the case of prices ex works
the customer shall in addition bear the costs of packaging, insurance,
despatch and any customs duties.
02 Our invoices are payable immediately without deduction - subject to
any special written agreements.
03 In the event of arrears of payment and/or doubt concerning the
creditworthiness of a customer we reserve the right to require the
customer to pay in advance or to request a corresponding security deposit.
04 The customer may only assert rights of retention or offset our claims
with counterclaims in so far as the latter have been determined undisputedly
or with legal validity.
05 Partial deliveries shall be invoiced separately. In that respect,
the respective above-mentioned conditions shall apply.
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IV. Delivery and delivery deadline
01 The specifying of particular delivery deadlines and delivery dates
shall be subject to the reservation that we receive correct and timely deliveries
ourselves. Should any delays in that respect become apparent, we shall
inform the customer of this as soon as possible.
02 The customer shall be obliged to inform us in good time of the exact
delivery address; we shall not accept any liability for errors occurring
on the part of the customer in that respect. Any additional costs which may be
incurred shall be borne by the customer.
03 The delivery deadline shall only begin to run following receipt of
all details and documentation necessary for processing the order from the customer.
04 Delivery deadlines shall be extended by the period in which the customer
is in arrears with the fulfilment of its principal contractual obligations,
in particular the fulfilment of its payment obligations.
05 The delivery deadline is deemed to have been adhered to if the items
to
be delivered have left the factory prior to its expiry or readiness for
despatch has been notified to the customer. Deliveries ex works shall
be fulfilled upon provision of the goods for collection by the customer.
06 Partial deliveries shall be permissible, in so far as they are reasonable
for the customer.
07 We shall not be responsible for any delay and failure to deliver for
as long as we or our assistants or suppliers are not blameworthy. This shall
particularly apply in the event of Acts of God. Should a claim for
compensation for damage accrue to the customer as a result of our delay
in accordance with the statutory provisions, this shall be restricted
to the damage foreseeable at the time of concluding the contract, however a
maximum of 5% of the value of the partial or entire delivery, in so far
as, in consequence of the delay or non-delivery, the latter cannot be used by
the customer in good time or in accordance with the contract. This restriction
shall not apply in so far as we are unrestrictedly liable in cases of
intent or gross negligence. The customer is required to inform us immediately in
writing on any impending damage due to delay.
08 Should the despatch of the items to be delivered be delayed for reasons
which are the fault of the customer, we shall be entitled, commencing
two weeks after notification of readiness for despatch, to charge the customer
for any costs incurred through the delay.
V. Delay in acceptance
01 For the duration of the delay in acceptance we shall be entitled to
store the delivery items at the customers expense.
02 If the customer continues to refuse acceptance following the expiry
of a reasonable deadline set for it, or previously finally and seriously declares
that it no longer wishes to accept the delivery, we may withdraw from
the contract and require compensation for damage in place of the customers
payment. As compensation for damage we may require 25% of the
agreed purchase price. We reserve the right to assert a higher claim for
damage.
03 Should the customer delay in acceptance of the delivery, the risk shall
pass to it.
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VI. Passing of risk
01 Upon agreed delivery carriage paid or DDU, the risk shall pass to the
customer upon handing over the goods. In the case of delivery ex works,
the risk shall pass to the customer upon provision of the delivery. This
shall also apply if despatch is delayed as a result of circumstances for which
we are not responsible. Should notification of readiness for despatch not
occur, the risk shall pass to the customer upon handing over the goods
to the post, the carrier or freight forwarder, however at the latest upon
leaving the factory premises. This shall also apply to partial deliveries and
in the event that we take on further services, such as the costs of despatch
or delivery charges. We undertake to conclude insurances requested by the
customer, at the customers expense, upon receipt of advance payment.
02 With reference to our reservation of ownership, the customer is required
to ensure that the delivery is insured, since, upon asserting our reservation
of ownership, we take the full value of the goods as a basis and any damage
or deterioration which has occurred to the delivery items in the meantime
shall be made good at the customers expense.
03 In the absence of any special agreement, any returns shall always be
at the customers expense and risk.
VII. Reservation of ownership
A) Business within the country
01 We reserve the right of ownership in the items delivered by us (reserved
goods) in all cases. Respective ownership shall only pass to the customer
following payment in full.
02 Should the customer be an independent contractor, it shall be entitled
to resell the items supplied within the scope of its orderly course of business,
and on its usual terms and conditions of business, for as long as it is
not in arrears. In this case the customer already now assigns to us all
receivables with all subsidiary rights accruing to it from the consumer
or third parties as a result of the resale, and in fact regardless of whether
the reserved goods are resold without or following further processing or
manufacture. The customer shall continue to be entitled to collect these
receivables following assignment. Our authorisation to collect the
receivables ourselves shall remain unaffected thereby. We shall not make
use of this authorisation for as long as the customer fulfils its payment
obligations in an orderly manner. We may require the customer to make
known to us the assigned claims and the debtors thereof, provide us with
all details necessary for collection, hand over to us the associated
documentation and inform the debtor of the assignment. Should the goods
be sold on together with other goods, which do not belong to us, the
customers claim against the consumer shall be deemed to have been
assigned to us in the amount of the value of the invoice due to us by
the customer.
03 The reserved goods shall always be processed and manufactured for us
as a manufacturer within the meaning of Sec. 950 German Civil Code,
however without putting us under any obligation. The manufactured goods
shall be deemed to be reserved goods within the meaning of these
provisions. Should reserved goods be processed or inseparably mixed
with other items, not belonging to us, we shall acquire co-ownership in
the new item in the proportion of the invoice value of our retained goods
to the invoice value of the other items used at the time of processing and mixing.
The co-ownership rights which have arisen in this way shall be deemed to
be reserved goods within the meaning of these provisions.
04 Should our delivery items be connected to or mixed with other moveable
items to form an integrated item, and should the other item be considered
the main item, we shall receive from the customer proportionate coownership,
in so far as the main item belongs to the customer.
Furthermore, the same shall apply to the item arising through the
05 The customer shall be obliged to keep our reserved goods in an orderly
condition and store them with the due care of a trader. It shall in particular
be obliged to adequately insure the latter at their new value against theft,
breakage, fire, water and other damage, at its own expense.
06 The customer may not assign our reserved goods or pledge them as
security, or either assign the claim to a third party or offset something
else with it, nor agree a prohibition on assignment of claims with its customers.
It shall also not be entitled to accept other services as payment, in
particular also not other items or services in place of fulfilment.
07 Any authorisation by the customer concerning our reserved goods
deviating from the aforementioned provisions shall be strictly prohibited
without our prior consent, for as long as the reservation of ownership
exists. Should the items supplied under reservation of ownership be
subjected to levy of execution by third parties or otherwise claimed, the
customer shall be obliged to inform us on this without delay and by the
quickest method possible, if possible by telephone. The customer shall
be obliged to forward us any bailiffs return, as well as an affidavit
on the identity of the items seized.
08 Should the goods be taken back within the scope of the assertion of
the reservation of ownership, the purchaser shall, in principle, remain obliged
to fulfil the contract unless anything else has been expressly stated by us
upon asserting the reservation of ownership. The costs of taking back the
items and the realisation of the items of purchase shall be borne by the
customer.
09 In the event of the customer engaging in conduct which is contrary
to the contract, in particular in the case of delays in payment, we shall, following
a reminder, be entitled to take back the reserved items, and the customer
shall be obliged to hand over the items to us.
10 A petition for the institution of insolvency proceedings over the customers
assets shall entitle us to withdraw from the contract and require the
immediate return of the goods supplied.
B) Business abroad
01 We reserve ownership in the items supplied until payment in accordance
with the respective statutory provisions of the country of destination has
been received in full. The reservation of ownership shall be deemed to
have been expressly agreed between us and the customer. In so far as
nothing else mandatorily emerges from the statutory provisions of the
country of destination, the regulations agreed in these general Conditions
of Sale concerning business within the country shall also apply to business
abroad.
02 Should a reservation of ownership be inadmissible in accordance with
the regulations of the country of destination, we shall be entitled to
assert the rights to protection admissible there. The customer undertakes
to advise us of the measures which we have to implement in order to protect
these rights. The customer shall actively support us in implementing these
measures. Should third parties assert rights in the items delivered, the
customer is required to inform us of this by telephone and in writing
without delay. We shall be entitled to carry out any registrations necessary
based on the law of the foreign country due to our reservation of ownership.
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VIII. Claims for defects, warranty
01 We shall be liable for our goods being free of defects upon the passing
of risk. The nature, durability and use of our goods shall be geared
exclusively towards the specification, product description and/or
instructions for use agreed in writing. Any details going beyond that, in
particular in introductory meetings, advertising, catalogues and/or industrial
norms referred to, shall only form part of the contract through express
written inclusion. If the customer wishes to use the goods supplied for
purposes other than the agreed purpose, it is required to carefully examine
the suitability for that purpose and/or the admissibility itself, on its own
responsibility. We exclude liability for any use not expressly confirmed by
us in writing.
02 The customer shall be obliged to examine the goods received for
completeness, as well as any defects, the quality and the assured
properties without delay following delivery. Any errors in quantity and
recognisable defects are to be notified to us in writing without delay,
at the latest within 5 business days of receipt, hidden defects within the same
period following discovery. The warranty shall lapse for any defects not
notified in good time.
03 Our liability for defects shall, in principle, be restricted to subsequent
improvement. Subsequent improvement shall, at our option, be remedying
the defect or supplying defect-free goods. Any further claims concerning
defects shall only exist in the case of refusal, impossibility or failure of
subsequent improvement. Should the purchase be a trade transaction,
any increased expenditure for the subsequent improvement (in particular,
costs of transportation, labour, shipping and handling and materials)
resulting from the fact that the customer has brought the item purchased
following delivery to a different place from its own premises shall be
borne by the customer.
04 The customer shall, within the scope of the statutory provisions, have
a right of withdrawal from the contract if, taking into account the statutory
exceptions, we permit a reasonable deadline set for us for the repair or
replacement delivery due to a material defect to expire fruitlessly. Should
there be only an insignificant defect, the customer shall only be entitled
to a right of reduction in the purchase price. The right to a reduction in the
purchase price shall otherwise be excluded.
05 Replaced parts within the scope of the warranty shall become our property.
06 Should the goods lack an assured quality at the time of the passing of risk,
the customer shall be entitled to assert its statutory rights.
07 Any warranty claims of the customer shall become statute-barred in all
cases within two years of the passing of risk.
08 We do not provide any warranty for the consequences of improper
handling, use, maintenance and service of our goods by the customer or
its assistants, or for normal wear and tear. This shall in particular
also apply in regard to the consequences of thermal, chemical, electrochemical or
electrical influences, as well as infringements of our instructions for use.
The same shall apply if the defects are attributable to any intervention or
arrangements made by the customer not confirmed by us.
09 Should we determine that there is no defect in the goods in which the
customer has notified a defect, we shall be entitled to require
compensation from the customer for the expenditure incurred to us (in
particular for labour costs).
IX. General limitation of liability
01 For damage which has not been incurred to the delivery item itself,
we shall only be liable regardless of on what legal grounds
in the event of intent, gross negligence on the part of the institutions or executive
staff; in the case of culpable injury to life, body and health; and in the case
of defects which have been fraudulently concealed or the absence of which
we have guaranteed. In the case of defects in the delivery item we shall
accept liability in so far as we are liable in accordance with the Product
Liability Act for damage to persons and property incurred to privately
used items.
02 In the case of culpable infringement of significant contractual obligations
we shall also be liable in the case of gross negligence of non-executive
employees and in the case of slight negligence. In the latter case, limited
to the contractually typical, reasonably predictable damage.
03 In cases other than those specified above, our liability shall be excluded.
This shall in particular apply to claims for compensation for damage arising
from fault upon concluding the contract, due to any other infringements
of obligations or due to tortious claims for compensation for material damage
pursuant to Sec. 823 German Civil Code.
04 The aforementioned limitation (Clause 3) shall also apply in the event
that the customer demands compensation for futile expenditure in place of
service instead of a claim to compensation for damage.
05 In so far as liability on our part is excluded or restricted, this
shall apply equally in regard to personal liability for compensation for
damage by our employees, workers, co-workers, representatives and assistants.
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X. Statute of limitations
01 In so far as nothing else has been regulated above (Clause VIII 07),
and in so far as the statutory period of limitations is not shorter, all claims
on the part of the customer shall become statute-barred regardless of
on what legal grounds no later than 12 months after the passing of risk
to the customer.
02 Concerning claims to compensation for damage pursuant to Section IX,
the statutory deadlines shall apply.
XI. Applicable law, place of fulfilment, place of jurisdiction
01 The contractual relationships shall exclusively be regulated in accordance
with the law applicable in the Federal Republic of Germany, under
exclusion of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale
of Goods (CISG).
02 The place of fulfilment for all contractual or statutory claims shall
be the Head Office of our company.
03 Should the customer be a trader, the Head Office of our company shall
be the exclusive place of jurisdiction. The same place of jurisdiction shall
apply if the customer has no general place of jurisdiction in the Federal Republic
of Germany at the time of instituting judicial proceedings. We shall in
addition also be entitled to file an action at the Head Office of the
customer.
XII. Miscellaneous provisions
01 Any alterations or additions to these General Conditions of Sale require
to be made in writing. This shall also apply to this requirement for the
written form itself.
02 Should one or more of these provisions be legally invalid in whole
or in part, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.
03 Decisive for all contractual relationships is the German version of
our General Conditions of Sale. This shall also apply if a translation of
these General Conditions of Sale into another language in addition to the
German conditions has been used.
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