cheff-landwehr family group had effective control over the company, with 18.5% of holland stock. cheff, a family member, was holland's chief executive officer. from 1948-1956, holland's sales declined by 25%. management attributed the sharp drop to a boom in sales following world war ii, which could not be sustained in later years. maremont, an owner of an automotive parts manufacturing business, approached cheff in 1957 to discuss the possibility of a merger between the two companies. cheff was not interested in a business combination. rebuffed, maremont purchased 6% of holland stock on the open market. cheff ordered an investigation of maremont, and learned that maremont had engaged in corporate takeovers and liquidation of several companies. (at the resulting trial, cheff would testify that maremont was not well regarded among local area businessmen.) cheff and maremont met a second time, by which time maremont owned 11% of holland stock. maremont told cheff that holland's door-to-door sales tactic was obsolete and should be abandoned in favor of a wholesaler marketing strategy.