ÿWPC7 …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw.å4 ' 6 0J> 0Tˆ 0^Ü 0h: 0r¢ 0| 0† 0 1u¦ 0d U> B)½ DCæ AM)U*v v~± B/vÓL D3 0@R AO’Æá 0D§ D/ë B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù-ËEÌÍÎEÏÐÓ€ÚDÒ 3|xÚ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌDecember€18,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€F`XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò ò›Þ ÞÌJERSEY€MINIERE€œZINC›€divisionà à)Ìof€Union€Zinc,€Inc.,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMontgomery€County€Circuit€CivilÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€C9„259ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9607„CV„00304̜ـ€ÙßR€!# A1-j|nH` ç `€€@ÿRß›GENERAL€STEEL€CONTRACTORS,à à)ÌINC.,à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌDefendant/Appellant.à àà àà à)ÌÌÌÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€MONTGOMERY€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€CLARKSVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€JAMES€E.€WALTON,€JUDGEÌó óÌÌÌÌÌDAN€L.€NOLANÌ121€South€Third€StreetÌClarksville,€TN€37040ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLEEÌÌÌROBERT€ORR,€JR.Ì210€Third€Avenue€NorthÌNashville,€TN€37219„0683ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÌÌÌœò òÓ  ÓMODIFIED,€AFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.ó ó›ÌÓ  ÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌÇò òJERSEY€MINIERE€œZINC€division›à à)Ìof€Union€Zinc,€Inc.,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMontgomery€County€Circuit€CivilÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€C9„259ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9607„CV„00304ÌGENERAL€STEEL€CONTRACTORS,à à)ÌINC.,à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌDefendant/Appellant.à àà àà à)ÌÌó óÌÌà@ àòòÔ€¼Ôò òO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óÔ€XÔóóÌÓÓÓ  Óà àÌà àThe€defendant,€General€Steel€Contractors,€Inc.,€has€appealed€from€a€non„jury€judgmentÏin€favor€of€the€plaintiff,€Jersey€Miniere€Zinc€Inc.,€division€of€Union€Zinc,€Inc.,€in€the€amountÏof€$164,096.18€for€cost€of€repairs€and€consequential€loss€of€profits€from€interruption€ofÏproduction€by€negligence€of€employees€of€defendant.ÌÌà àThe€only€issue€on€appeal€is€the€amount€of€damages€due€plaintiff.ÌÌà àThe€following€facts€are€uncontroverted:Ìà àÌà àPlaintiff€operates€a€large€facility€for€producing€pure€metallic€zinc.€€A€part€of€the€refiningÏprocess€includes€production€of€a€powder€called€calcine€which€is€stored€in€silos€to€await€furtherÏprocessing€into€zinc.€€The€facility€operates€24€hours€per€day€every€day€of€the€year.€€As€a€resultÏof€€the€negligence€of€defendantððs€employees,€the€production€of€calcine€was€interrupted€for€aÏperiod€of€26„1/4€hours€during€which€the€production€of€554€tons€of€calcine€was€lost.€€DuringÏthe€interruption€of€the€production€of€calcine,€€zinc€production€from€the€calcine€stored€in€theÍsilos€was€continued,€but€the€ultimate€total€production€of€zinc€during€the€year€was€reduced€byÏ338.39€tons.€€The€demand€for€zinc€exceeds€the€supply,€so€that€plaintiff€is€able€to€dispose€of€allÏthe€zinc€it€can€produce.€€Although€plaintiff€maintains€an€inventory€of€zinc,€the€inventory€ð ðturnsÏoverðð€several€times€per€month.€The€zinc€produced€in€April€1992€would€normally€have€beenÏsold€during€May,€1992,€when€market€price€of€zinc€was€62.1508€cents€per€pound.ÌÌà àThe€Trial€Court€awarded€damages€as€follows:Ìà à1.à àCost€of€repairing€damaged€equipment€....à à$€€€€783.33Ìà à2.à àFuel€costs€..............................................€€€€€€€€€€2,552.27Ìà à3.à àLoss€from€interrupted€production€..........€€€€òò€€160,760.66óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€TOTAL€€€€$164,096.18Ìà àÌà àThe€first€two€items€were€stipulated.€€The€issue€before€the€Trial€Court€and€before€thisÏCourt€is€the€third€item€of€$160,760.66,€which€is€the€loss€of€profit.€€Lost€profits€are€recoverableÏas€damages€provided€they€are€proven€with€reasonable€certainty€and€are€not€remote€orÏspeculative.€€òòMorristown€Lincoln„Mercury,€Inc.€v.€Roy€N.€Lotspeich€Publishing€Companyóó,€42ÏTenn.€App.€92,€298€S.W.2d€œ788,€793›€(1956).ÌÌà àThe€evidence€should€establish€loss€of€profits€with€reasonable€certainty.€€Loss€of€profitsÏmust€be€established€by€data€from€which€the€extent€of€the€loss€can€be€ascertained.€€All€that€isÏnecessary€is€to€show€facts€from€which€it€would€be€reasonable€to€infer€a€loss€œof€profit€and€theÏapproximate€amount€of€such€loss.›€€25€CJS.€€Damages€ðð€162(4)€pp.€82€et€seq.ÌÌà àThe€testimony€of€the€plaintiffððs€œcomptroller›€shows:ÌÌà à1.à àThe€production€of€œ338.39›€tons€of€zinc€was€permanently€and€irretrievably€lost€byÏthe€interruption€of€the€production€of€calcine.Ìà à2.à àThe€zinc€that€would€have€been€produced€during€the€interruption€would€normallyÏhave€been€available€for€sale€during€the€month€of€May,€1992,€at€then€prevailing€price€ofÏ62.1508€cents€per€pound,€for€a€total€of€$420,624.18.Ìà à3.à àIf€the€operation€had€continued€without€interruption,€the€costs€of€producing€theÏ338.39€tons€of€zinc€would€have€been:Ìà àCost€of€raw€material€.............................à à$232,450.07Ìà àPower€..................................................à à€€€€19,755.68Ìà àOther€operating€costs€...........................à àòò€€€€€€7,863.52óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à$259,863.52ÌÌà à4.à àThe€net€profit€loss€was€$420,624.18€minus€$259,863.52,€or€$160,760.66.ÌÌà àAppellant€presents€a€number€of€arguments€against€the€award€of€$160,760.66€lostÏprofits.ÌÌà àœFirst,€the€appellant›€œpoints›€out€evidence€that€the€production€of€metallic€zinc€was€notÏinterrupted€but€continued€by€processing€reserves€of€calcine€stored€in€the€silos.€€The€sameÏevidence€shows€that€the€production€of€zinc€from€calcine€was€slowed€to€prevent€completeÏdepletion€of€the€reserve€calcine€which€would€have€brought€production€to€a€complete€halt.€€InÏshort,€the€production€of€calcine€was€halted,€but€the€production€of€zinc€was€slowed.€€The€resultÏwas€the€same,€a€deficiency€in€the€amount€of€zinc€produced.ÌÌà àœAppellant›€next€œargues›€that€there€can€be€no€recovery€for€loss€of€profits€without€proof€ofÏloss€of€sales,€citing€òòAmerican€Buildings€Company€v.€Whiteóó,€Tenn.€App.€1982,€640€S.W.2dÏ569,€wherein€lost€profits€were€claimed€for€loss€of€occupancy€of€a€building€which€would€haveÏaccommodated€an€additional€volume€of€business€for€which€plaintiff€had€a€ð ðbacklog€of€orders.ðð€ÏThe€cited€authority€is€somewhat€similar€to€the€present€case,€but€is€distinguishable€by€theÏuncontradicted€evidence€that€the€demand€for€zinc€is€greater€than€the€supply,€that€plaintiff€canÏsell€every€ton€of€zinc€it€can€produce,€and€the€price€is€based€upon€the€fluctuations€of€a€market€inÏLondon.ÌÌà àAppellantððs€next€challenge€is€the€use€of€the€May,€1992€market€price€of€zinc€inÏcomputing€the€amount€of€lost€profits.€Plaintiffððs€comptroller€testified:ÌÓÓà àà àA.à àOnce€€I€determined€the€metal€of€338.39€tons,€I€appliedÌà àà àthe€price€of€62.1508€cents€per€pound,€and€equated€a€lost€salesÌà àà àof€$420,624.18.€€The€price€„„Ì€Ìà àà àQ.à àHow€did€you€get€that€price?ÌÌà àà àA.à àThe€€price€€that€€I€€used€€was€€Savage€Zinc€Companyððs€Ìà àà àaverage€for€the€month€of€May,€1992.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àWhy€did€you€use€May€rather€than€April?ÌÌà àà àA.à àBecause€the€incident€occurred€on€April€the€22nd.€€AndÌà àà àthose€€zinc€tons€would€not€have€been€on€the€floor€available€forÌà àà àsale€until€the€month€of€May.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€€is€€that€€an€€accurate€€reflection€€on€€his€„„€is€€his€Ìà àà àposition€€correct€€then€€that€€the€€outage€€for€€26€hours€did€not€Ìà àà àaffect€our€inventory?€€Or€putting€it€another€way:€How€did€the€Ìà àà àoutage€of€26€hours€affect€our€year„end€inventory?€ÌÌà àà àA.à àAgain,€I€€would€think€„„€and€in€€my€opinion€the€effectÌà àà àof€€the€€inventory€€would€be€€zero.€€And€the€reason€I€feel€that€Ìà àà àway€is€because€the€outage€occurred€in€April.€€And€I€feel€veryÌà àà àcomfortable€€we€€would€€have€sold€those€tons€before€the€end€Ìà àà àof€the€year.ÌÌà àà à€€€€You€€are€going€€to€see€a€buildup€in€inventory€at€the€end€of€Ìà àà àthis€€calendar€€year€€period€€that€€you€€look€at€here,€but€thatððs€Ìà àà àtypical€€that€€you€see€inventories€go€up€at€the€end€of€€the€year€Ìà àà àsimply€€because€the€companies€we€sell€to,€€they€want€to€defer€Ìà àà àtax€€as€€€long€€as€€they€€can,€€so€€they€€will€€slow€€down€€€their€Ìà àà àshipments€at€the€end€of€the€year.Ìà àà àÌà àà à€€€€Any€€time€that€we€can€accommodate€a€customer€who€buysÌà àà àtons€œof›€€zinc€€from€us€€all€the€time,€we€will€try€to€do€that.€€So€Ìà àà àour€œinventory›€€will€€and€€has€€historically,€€not€every€year,€butÌà àà àhas€œhistorically›€risen€at€the€end€of€a€calendar€year,€and€I€thinkÌà àà àmainly€œfor›€œtax›€purposes€€on€the€people€who€buy.€€They€donððtÌà àà àœwant›€to€pay€personal€property€tax€on€inventory€sitting€aroundÌà àà àjust€like€we€donððt.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àIn€your€working€inventory€„„€and€œI›€œbelieve›€thatððs€what€Ìà àà àyou€called€it,€working€inventory?ÌÌà àà àA.à àI€œwas›€œspeaking›€€specifically€€of€€finished€€goods€at€that€Ìà àà àtime,€but€working€inventories€have€the€same€effect.Ìà àà àÌà àà àQ.à àAbout€how€often€do€you€turn€your€inventory€over?ÌÌà àà àA.à àWell,€œwe›€turn€our€finished€goods€inventory€over€„„€youÌà àà àknow,€€€œwe›€œkeep›€€a€€working€€finished€€good€€inventory€€in€€the€Ìà àà àneighborhood€of€two€thousand€tons.€œLess›€than€that€most€of€the€Ìà àà àtime.€œBut›€you€know,€thatððs€a€good€round€number.€€So€if€we€sellÌà àà ànine€€to€œten›€€thousand€tons€a€year€„„€I€€mean€a€month,€we€turn€itÌà àà àover€four€or€five€times€a€month,€finished€goods.ÌÌœà àà àQ.›à àIs€that€what€you€generally€do?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir.€€That€is€what€we€generally€do.Ìà àà àÌà àà àQ.à àSo€if€€you€would€have€had€an€additional€338€tons€of€metalÌà àà àproduction,€would€you€have€logically€turned€it€over€the€followingÌà àà àmonth,€in€May?ÌÌà àà àA.à àI€think€so,€yes,€sir.ÌÌà àà àœQ.›€€€€œ€€€€Lets›€say€that€the€company€did€have€a€surplus€of€zinc€metal€forÌà àà àwhatever€reason.€€Are€there€ways€to€dispose€of€that€metal?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir,€there€are.Ìà àà àÌà àà àQ.à àTell€us€about€œthat.Ì›Ìà àà àA.à àBasically€€zinc€metal€is€sold€„„€itððs€€a€commodity.€œOkay?›Ìà àà àSo€itððs€œsold€worldwide›€based€upon€the€London€Metal€ExchangeÌà àà àprice€œthatððs›€€quoted€€two€€times€a€day.€€In€the€contracts€that€we€Ìà àà àsell€„„€we€œbuy›€€concentrate€€on€€and€€we€€sell€€metal€€on€€€is€€the€Ìà àà àaverage€€of€€those€€two€€day€prices.€€And€that€price€is€called€the€Ìà àà àLME€€€settlement€€€price,€€€cash€€€settlement€€€price.€€€So€€thatððs€Ìà àà àdetermined€€for€€you.€€€You€€have€€no€negotiations€when€youððre€Ìà àà àselling€for€that€price.ÌÌà àà à€€€€But€€what€is€negotiable€are€the€premiums€that€you€charge€on€Ìà àà àœtop€›€œof€›€the€LME.€€So€if€in€a€high€demand€market,€itððs€common€œÌà àà àto€think›€that€your€premium€prices€are€higher.ÌÌà àà à€€€€A€œlot€of›€metal€in€any€given€year€is€already€spoken€for€becauseÌà àà àof€€contract€€agreements€€we€€€have€€€with€€€customers€€€that€€€do€Ìà àà àcontinuous€€business€€with€us.€€But€what€is€left€„„€and€as€a€round€Ìà àà ànumber€„„€and€€these€are€not€exact€„„€but€we€produce€nine€to€tenÌà àà àthousand€€tons,€€and€€we€have€contracts€that€will€consume€on€an€Ìà àà àaverage€€year€€seven€€to€eight€thousand€of€those€tons.€€So€youððre€Ìà àà àlooking€at€two€to€twenty„five€hundred€tons€available€each€month€Ìà àà àto€sell€on€a€spot€basis.ÌÌà àà à€€€€And€€this€€is€€usually€where€you€can€get€your€best€premium,€orÌà àà àI€€guess€€if€€the€€market€€were€€to€€go€€the€€other€way,€it€would€be€Ìà àà àwhere€€you€€would€€get€your€worst€premium.€€But€we€can€simply€Ìà àà àsell€more€metal€by€adjusting€our€premiums.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àYou€€donððt€have€any€evidence€that€a€sale€was€lost€to€anyÌà àà àgiven€customer€due€to€inability€to€fulfill€a€contract?ÌÌà àà àA.à àI€€cannot€œtake›€you€to€€a€€customer€and€tell€you€we€called€Ìà àà àJohn€€Doe€€and€œtold›€€him€€we€€couldnððt€deliver.€€No,€I€cannot€do€ÌœÌÌÌ›à àà àthat€specifically.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAnd€œyou›€œdidnððt›€œhave›€€to€go€into€the€market€to€buy€zinc€Ìà àà àfrom€œ€somebody›€œ€else€›€in€œ€order€›€to€fulfill€the€contract€here,€did€œÌà àà àyou?›ÌÌà àà àA.à àNo€in€this€case,€no,€sir.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àœAnd€›€œyou€canððt›€go€œ€into›€the€market€to€buy€calcine.€€Itððs€œÌà àà ànot›€œavailable.›ÌÌà àà àA.à àWe€œhave›€œnot›€found€that€to€be€feasible,€no,€sir.€œWe›€have€Ìà àà àlooked€at€that€but€we€have€not€found€that€to€be€feasible.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àBecause€œof›€œ€this›€œ26„hour›€€shutdown€of€the€roaster€plant,Ìà àà àthat€œdid›€œnot›€€prevent€Jersey€Miniere€at€all€times€from€being€ableÌà àà àto€œsupply›€œall›€œof›€€the€€zinc€€that€€it€€had€€contracted€€to€€sell€to€its€Ìà àà àcustomers?Ìà àà àÌà àà àA.à àœOn€›€a€œ€contract€›€basis,€I€would€agree€with€that,€because€œÌà àà ànot€€all›€œ€of›€œ€our€›€tons€œ€are€›€sold€œ€on›€a€contract€basis.€œAs›€I€stated€œÌà àà àearlier,€you›€took€away€the€opportunity€of€spot€sales.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€does€that€not€mean€that€at€the€end€of€1992,€thereÌà àà àwere€œ€in›€œ€inventory›€œ€ready€›€œto€›€œsell€›€2,304€œ€more›€tons€than€there€œÌà àà àwere›€œat›€the€beginning€of€the€year?ÌÌà àà àA.à àIn€€total€€tons€€that€€we€€had€€on€€our€€books,€€yes,€sir,€IÌà àà àwould€agree€with€that.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€does€€that€not€mean€that€if€the€338€tons€had€beenÌà àà àmade,€€they€€would€have€just€gone€into€inventory€and€not€been€Ìà àà àsold?ÌÌà àà àA.à àIf€€it€€would€€have€been€€in€December,€I€would€agree€toÌà àà àthat,€but€with€it€being€in€April,€I€would€disagree.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€€does€€this€€mean€youððre€identifying€specific€zinc,Ìà àà àthe€€zinc€€that€€was€€there€€ready€€to€€be€€produced€in€April€andÌà àà àwould€€have€€gone€€through€€the€€roaster€€and€€through€the€cell€Ìà àà àhouse€€and€€through€€the€€casting€€house€€and€€then€€been€€soldÌà àà àwithin€€ten€€€days;€€is€€€that€€€what€€€youððre€€€doing?€€€Are€€€you€Ìà àà àidentifying€specific€zinc?€ÌÌà àà àA.à àI€did€not€identify€specific€zinc.€I€did€a€calculation€based€Ìà àà àupon€the€way€our€plant€operates.€And€that€is€if€we€would€have€Ìà àà àroasted€€those€€tons€in€April,€we€would€have€had€tons€of€metalÌà àà àon€€the€€floor€€in€€May€€that€€I€feel€very€strongly€that€we€wouldÌà àà àhave€sold€in€May.€€ÌÌà àà à€€€€à àThe€€average€€price€that€we€received,€according€to€thisÌà àà àannual€report,€showed€58.76€cents€a€pound.ÌÌà àà à€€€€à àAnd€€I€did€my€calculation€based€upon€the€62€cent€priceÌà àà àaverage,€which€against€was€our€May€average€price.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àYou€€donððt€€œ€have€›€€any€€evidence€€that€€you€€would€œÌà àà àhave›€œ€sold›€anymore€of€the€zinc,€the€338€tons,€if€it€had€been€œÌà àà àproduced?›ÌÌà àà àA.à àNo,€œsir.›€œBut›€œI›€œwould›€œdare›€say€I€would€have€a€better€Ìà àà àchance€of€selling€it€if€I€could€have€made€it.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àWhy€œwas›€œyour›€œopinion›€œno,›€œthat›€œproduction›€was€lost€Ìà àà àrather€than€simply€postponed?ÌÌà àà àA.à àBecause€œ€we›€œ€had›€œ€26›€œ€hours€›€œand€›€15€minutes€taken€œÌà àà àaway€›€œfrom›€œus›€œto›€œoperate›€the€roaster.€€We€can€never€regain€œÌà àà àthose›€26€œhours.›€€œWe›€œcan›€œoperate›€œanother›€26€hours.€€I€wonððt€œÌà àà àargue›€œ€that.€€But›€€through€€œ€no›€fault€of€our€own,€we€lost€the€œÌà àà àavailability€›€œto€›€œuse€our›€œroaster€for›€26€hours€and€25€minutes€œÌà àà àor›€œ15›€minutes€that€we€œwill›€never€be€able€to€get€back.€€Ìà àà àÌà àà à€€€€à àœI›€œ€mean,›€œ€itððs€›€œ„„€›€itððs€œ€„„€›€œthat€›€œis€€›€œour€€›€œmost€€›€critical€œÌà àà àbottleneck›€œin›€the€process.€€If€we€donððt€have€calcine€tons,€we€œÌà àà àcanððt›€make€œÓÓzinc.›ÌÌà àIn€òòNational€Steel€Corp.€v.€Great€Lakes€Towing€Coóó.,€6th€Circ.€1978,€œ574€F.2d€339,€a›Ïsteel€producer€was€permitted€to€recover€the€cost€of€purchasing€steel€to€fulfil€its€contracts€whileÏproduction€was€interrupted.ÌÌà àIn€the€present€case,€it€is€admitted€that€all€contractual€obligations€were€fulfilled€withoutÏpurchases€of€zinc.€€However,€the€evidence€shows€that€the€demand€was€constant€and€zinc€couldÏbe€sold€at€the€prevailing€price€at€any€time€it€was€available€for€sale.€€The€unanswered€questionÏis,€what€was€the€prevailing€price€at€the€time€plaintiff€lost€the€sale€of€the€338.39€tons€of€zinc€thatÏwas€not€œproduced?›ÌÌà àAlthough€the€comptroller€testified€that,€in€the€normal€process,€zinc€produced€in€AprilÏwould€normally€be€marketed€in€May,€this€does€not€establish€that€the€œloss€of€opportunity›€for€saleÏand€profit€occurred€in€May.€€The€reason€for€this€is€that€plaintiff€maintains€a€stock,€or€inventoryÏof€finished€zinc€which€was€not€exhausted€at€any€time€during€May.€€Therefore,€so€far€as€thisÍrecord€shows,€no€loss€of€opportunity€to€sell€zinc€in€May€1992€resulted€from€the€interruption€ofÏproduction.ÌÌà àSuch€an€opportunity€may€have€been€lost€under€the€normal€management€of€inventory,Ïbut€this€was€not€proven.€€For€example,€the€official€who€controlled€the€sales€of€zinc€might€haveÏtestified€that€company€policy€required€that€a€minimum€inventory€be€maintained€and€that€no€salesÏbe€made€be€made€which€would€reduce€the€inventory€below€the€minimum;€that,€during€the€highÏmarket€in€May€all€inventory€above€the€minimum€was€sold€at€the€high€price;€and€that,€if€theÏmissing€338.39€tons€had€been€in€the€inventory,€then€338.39€more€tons€could€and€would€haveÏbeen€sold€without€reducing€the€inventory€below€the€minimum.€€However,€no€such€evidence€orÏits€equivalent€appears€in€this€record.€ÌÌà àAlthough€there€is€no€satisfactory€œevidence€of€a€loss›€of€opportunity€to€sell€338.39€tonsÏduring€May,€1992,€there€is€a€reasonable€inference€that€the€total€annual€sales€would€have€beenÏ338.39€tons€greater€if€the€interruption€had€not€occurred.€€Therefore,€it€may€be€reasonablyÏinferred€that€the€opportunity€to€sell€338.39€more€tons€was€lost€sometime€during€the€year.€ÏUnder€this€inference€the€most€reasonable€and€probable€measure€of€damages€is€the€profitÏproduced€by€the€annual€average€price€of€sales,€rather€than€the€price€during€May,€1992.ÌÌà àAs€above€stated,€the€comptroller€used€the€May,€1992€price€of€62.1508€cents€per€poundÏin€computing€the€sale€price€of€338.39€tons€to€be€$420,624.18€and€the€resulting€net€profit€to€beÏ$160,760.66.€€œThe€annual€average€price€was€58.76€cents€per€pound.›ÌÌà àBy€substituting€the€annual€average€price€of€58.76€cents€per€pound€for€the€62.1508€centsÏper€pound€in€May,€1992,€the€computations€of€the€comptroller€would€result€in€lost€profit€ofÏ$137,812.22.€€This€is€demonstrated€as€follows:ÌÌà à338.39€tons€at€œ62.1508›€cents€per€pound€equals€.....à à$420,624.18Ìà à338.39€tons€at€58.76€cents€per€pound€equals€.........à àòò€€397,675.92óóÌà àœDifference€in€sale€price€of€338.39€tons€..................à à$›€€22,948.24ÌœÌÌ›Ìà àLost€profit€at€62.1508€cents€per€pound€...........€€€$160,760.66Ìà àDifference€in€sale€price€between€62.1508Ìper€pound€and€58.76€cents€per€pound€.........................€€òò€€€€22,948.24óóÌà àLost€profit€at€58.76€cents€per€pound€...............€€œ$137,812.42›ÌÌà àAs€a€result€of€the€foregoing,€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€reduced€fromÏ$164,096.18€to€$141,147.94.€€As€modified,€the€judgment€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€areÏassessed€equally,€that€is,€each€party€shall€pay€one„half.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€TrialÏCourt€for€entry€of€judgment€in€conformity€with€this€opinion€and€such€other€proceedings,€ifÏany,€as€may€be€necessary€and€proper.Ì€à àà àÓÓÌÓÓò òÓ  ÓÔ€¼ÔMODIFIED,€AFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.Ô€XÔó óÌÓÓÓ  ÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGE