JM Eagle PVC Pipe
A class-action lawsuit was recently filed behalf of property owners potentially seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from JM Eagle for allegedly supplying substandard polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) pipe for potable water systems, and other applications.
The lawsuit asks the court to certify a nationwide class action on behalf of all persons or entities who installed the allegedly substandard JM Eagle pipe. The filing seeks reimbursement of all sums paid by the class members to JM Eagle, and for all other damages caused by the sale and installation of the substandard pipe.
The class-action lawsuit alleges that from at least 1997 through at least January 1, 2009, the majority of the PVC pipe manufactured and sold by J-M Manufacturing Company, Inc. (JM Eagle’s corporate predecessor), was below the minimum strength required by applicable industry standards.
The lawsuit also alleges that JM Eagle further deceived its customers by “cherry-picking” pipe samples for testing by outside certification agencies such as Underwriters Laboratories and NSF International, while continuing in its day-to-day operations using a cheaper manufacturing process that produced weaker pipes, but enabled the company to increase its profits.