[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 111 (Friday, June 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37905-37906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12314]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 337-TA-1365]


Certain Photovoltaic Connectors and Components Thereof; 
Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on May 4, 2023, under section 337 
of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Shoals Technologies 
Group, LLC of Portland, Tennessee. A supplement to the complaint was 
filed on May 12, 2023. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 
based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for 
importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of 
certain photovoltaic connectors and components thereof by reason of 
infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 10,553,739 (`` '739 
Patent'') and U.S. Patent No. 10,992,254 (`` '254 Patent''). The 
complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists 
as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The complainant requests 
that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the 
investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist 
orders.

ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for any confidential information 
contained therein, may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help accessing EDIS, please email 
[email protected]. Hearing impaired individuals are advised that 
information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the 
Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at (202) 205-
2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be 
obtained by accessing its internet server at https://www.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pathenia M. Proctor, The Office of 
Unfair Import Investigations, (202) 205-2560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is 
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2023).
    Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission, on June 5, 2023, ordered that--
    (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether 
there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain products 
identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of 
claims 1-13 and 15-18 of the '739 patent and claims 1-15 of the '254 
patent, and whether an industry in the United States exists as required 
by subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language 
description of the accused products or category of accused products, 
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``photovoltaic wire 
harnesses or string harnesses that contain one or more inline fuses, 
in-line fuse kits, and assemblies for connecting solar panel arrays to 
an inverter, which assemblies are called lead assemblies or trunk 
buses, and which may also include one or more in-line fuses'';
    (3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the 
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of 
investigation shall be served:
    (a) The complainant is:

Shoals Technologies Group, LLC, 1400 Shoals Way, Portland, Tennessee 
37148

    (b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in 
violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint 
is to be served:

Hikam America, Inc., 3521 Main St. #501, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Hikam Electr[oacute]nica de M[eacute]xico, S.A. de C.V., Carretera A 
San Luis No. Km. 10.5, Las Californias Industrial Park, Mexicali, Baja 
California 21394, Mexico.

[[Page 37906]]

Hikam Tecnologia de Sinaloa, International Road Guasave, Los Mochis No. 
Km. 2.5 Industrial Zone, Guasave, Sinaloa 81149, Mexico
Hewtech Philippines Corp., Lot C2-9, Carmelray Industrial Park II, 
Laguna, 4027 Philippines
Hewtech Philippines Electronics Corp., TECO Industrial Park, Ninoy 
Aquino Highway, Bundagul Mabalacat, Pampanga, 2010 Philippines
Hewtech (Shenzhen) Electronics Co., Ltd., Block 5 and Block 6, 172 
Hengpailing Estate, Wu Tong Shan, Luo Hu District, Shenzhen, 518114 
China
Voltage, LLC, 450 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 208, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Ningbo Voltage Smart Production Co., No. 201 Bldg. 5 (14) Miaofengshan 
Rd., Beilun District, 57020 Ningbo, China

    (c) The Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and
    (4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be 
submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 210.13 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. 
Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), as amended in 85 FR 15798 
(March 19, 2020), such responses will be considered by the Commission 
if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the 
complainant of the complaint and the notice of investigation. 
Extensions of time for submitting responses to the complaint and the 
notice of investigation will not be granted unless good cause therefor 
is shown.
    Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each 
allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to 
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations 
of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative 
law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, 
to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and 
to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing 
such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or 
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: June 5, 2023.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2023-12314 Filed 6-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P