Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas, Inc., and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. v. Southern Lift Trucks, LLC

Summary

The court held that the dealer agreements broadly required arbitration of Southern's claims, except for portions of its declaratory-judgment claim concerning the enforceability of agreement provisions, and that Hyundai Heavy Industries could participate in arbitration based on Southern's agency and conspiracy allegations. The court also held that the preliminary injunction was unwarranted for the construction-equipment agreement but permissible for the forklift agreement because Southern's substantial sales, investments, goodwill, and customer relationships showed a changing status quo and potential irreparable harm. Both appeals were affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.