manufacturing and transportation contracts

a manufacturing license agreement (mla) allows a manufacturer to produce a product owned by another person or entity. most patent holders cannot manufacture their product themselves, so they choose to work with a manufacturer to help them produce their product. often the manufacturer is paid out of the royalties or sales of the product. quality standards are agreed upon in advance as well as how modifications can be approved.

protections a manufacturing license agreement may provide include:

• quality control
• protection from unapproved modifications
• predictable royalty payments
• arbitration before court
• protection for transfer of rights without permission
• indemnification
• termination terms
• confidentiality
• amendments without prior agreement
• severability
• waiver of contractual rights

transportation contracts are used between a business or individual and the transporter (individual or business) for the transportation of goods or people. it could be a one-time transport or scheduled transports over a long period of time. a transportation contract might detail the agreements regarding products being regularly moved from the manufacturer to the distributor. or, an agreement for a transport service to move tourists between the airport and a local resort. these contracts describe transportation expectations, payment and insurance requirements.

to make a transportation contract, you'll need the following information:

• contact information for both parties
• description of service (as a sentence or attachment to the document)
• payment information (how much and when due)
• termination terms
• insurance requirements
• whether a confidentiality agreement is required
• whether the hirer is responsible for claims against the transporter (usually not)
• how much time they are allowed to correct violations
• whether parties will be released from issues out of their control, such as acts of god or labor strikes
• whether disputes should be solved in arbitration rather than the court
• whether the contract can be transferred

your warehouse lease agreement should include information about payments as well as how your tenants are allowed to use the property. our lease agreement is customizable to any state and includes all basic agreements to help protect you and your tenants. when making your lease agreements consider the following:

• payment information such as monthly rent, deposits, and late fees.
• how long the lease will last. often commercial leases are longer than residential leases (three to five years).
• how the premises may be used. your tenants will need to comply with how the property is zoned as well as with your preferences.
• what type of insurance they'll need to purchase. while you will carry your own insurance, they should have adequate insurance as well.
• who will be responsible for maintenance issues. you may require the renter to take care of routine maintenance while you take care of major issues such as the roof or major electrical work.
• who will pay for which utilities.
• how the agreement may be terminated. you'll want to include in the lease what actions may cause an eviction.
• who will be responsible for remodels and what portion each will contribute. if it is a long lease, you may benefit from agreeing to help the tenant customize the space for their use.
• whether the tenants are allowed to sublease or not.