By Mike Perleberg (Batesville, Ind.) – A local casket manufacturing company is agreeing to pay nearly $19 million to a competitor. Batesville Casket Company was sued by Matthews International Corporation, based in Pittsburgh, in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Matthews alleged that Batesville unlawfully poached customers of two Matthews' subsidiary companies, breached employment contracts of two high-level Matthews employees, and improperly interfered with the companies’ business relations. On Monday, Matthews announced that Batesville settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay the company $17 million. The southeast Indiana company will also pay $1.75 million to cover attorney fees for two former Matthews employees. The lawsuit also named as defendants Harry Pontone and Scott Pontone for allegedly breaching their employment covenants. Batesville Casket will pay their settlement costs. "Following the actions involved in this case, I am pleased the defendants have agreed to settle the case for a significant amount. On behalf of myself, Matthews, and all the Pontone family members engaged with Matthews, I would like to thank our customers for their continued loyalty and our longstanding employees for the tremendous contributions they make every day delivering outstanding service to our customers," said Thomas Pontone, President of Matthews Funeral Home Products Division.
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