All good things must come to an end. So it is in life, and
so it is in business. Eventually all business relationships,
including manufacturing relationships, will come to an end. Some
relationships end with nary more than a whimper, as both parties
are content to move on and deploy their resources elsewhere.
More often, the end of a business relationship is an acrimonious
affair in which one (or both parties) feels it has been wronged or
treated unfairly.
The end of a business relationship is an inflection point that
can create a significant risk for manufacturers if not properly
managed. The termination itself may be viewed as
improper. Even if the non-terminating party grudgingly
accepts that the relationship is ending, there are likely to be
other claims. Disputes that otherwise might have been
resolved by negotiating future business terms, or suppressed
because the benefit of the relationship outweighed the claim, can
erupt into litigation when parties no
