Opinion ID: 2459736
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Shell

Text: Shell produced the polybutylene resin from which U.S. Brass manufactured the pipes used in the plumbing system. As with Celanese, Shell did not control U.S. Brass' selection of raw materials, did not design the parts or tools, and did not instruct or train the homebuilders' plumbers. However, Shell played a substantial role in marketing U.S. Brass' entire system for new homes in the early 1980s. It undertook a marketing campaign and directly contacted homebuilders to promote the system and increase the market for polybutylene resin. Several homebuilders testified that they learned about U.S. Brass' plumbing system from Shell at trade shows and from Shell salespeople who visited them. The record contains some evidence that La Porte building officials would not have approved the plumbing system for residential use absent Shell's representations about its quality, reliability, and longevity. Finally, there is some evidence that the homebuilders installed the systems in reliance on the same representations. As was the case with Celanese, these facts do not support the conclusion that Shell's misrepresentations were made in connection with the relevant consumer transactions, the purchase of the homes. Shell had no control over the manufacture or installation of the plumbing systems, or of the homes ultimately purchased by the consumers. Shell had no influence over the terms of the consumers' purchases. Although Shell actively promoted use of the plumbing systems in residential homes, there is no evidence that the information provided to homebuilders or building code officials was intended to be or actually was passed on to consumers. Importantly, Shell's marketing efforts were not incorporated into the efforts to market homes to the plaintiffs in this case. Also, any information provided by Shell was subject to independent evaluation by building code officials and by homebuilders. We therefore conclude that Shell's conduct was not sufficiently connected with the plaintiffs' purchase of their homes to support DTPA liability. We therefore render judgment in Andraus that plaintiffs take nothing from Shell on their DTPA claims. (No judgment was rendered against Shell in Knowlton/Kochie or Barrett. )