Texas panel maker charged US$7.7 million for putting ‘Made in USA labels’ on Chi

[jingwei3344]

Bankrupt panel manufacturer 1SolTech has agreed to pay penalties and compensation amounting to more than US$7.7 million after it admitted putting 'Made in USA' labelling on Chinese-made modules.

As part of its ongoing bankruptcy case, the company has agreed to pay a US$5 million civic penalty as well as more than US$2.7 million for previous customers.

The company has admitted that it mislabelled panels and also falsely claimed that they had attained UL 1703 certification.

According to the court documents:

"Defendant 1SolTech acknowledges that it advertised and sold solar panels as having met certification and testing standards, when the panels had not been certified," and "acknowledges that it bought solar panels that were manufactured in China, and advertised and resold the Chinese panels as being 'Made in the USA by 1SolTech'".

Further penalties were lodged against some of the company's former management team.

It is unclear how much of the money will be recovered.

The settlement also includes a commitment by the collapsed company to contact customers who bought its second generation panels, in order to warn them of a possible fire risk.

[MagnaProp]

Ouch but isn't everything in the USA made in China anyways? Made in the USA should be called "imported from China" approved? Or "china parts assembled in the USA" approved?

[joel321]

I'm not rich by any standards but everything I own was not made in the USA.

Made in the USA should be called "imported from China" approved?

"Made in the USA" is mostly hype and the USA knows this. Does not make the money/hjype go away though and others will try to get a piece of the pie.

But actually, anything "made"  in the USA is NOT made but just assembled from foreign made parts. This is coming from a guy that has taken apart many things = Air conditioning units, paint sprayers, cell phones, LED LCD TV's, gaming consoles, wrist watches, wall watches/clocks, air compressors, hands tools...you name it. In the electronic side of things...I have never seen a DC motor made in the USA. Actually...I don't know of any electrical component made in the USA. Capacitor, diode, resistor, fuse, any logic chip, coil, etc etc....all parts are made from outside the USA....something is very very very quite strange about that does not make sense even in a math formula.

What is the name of the company of this Texas panel maker? Maybe they have a point...but I would feel not well inside if they used products from out of state (most likely) like the rest of the USA companies do. This seems weird to me. WHat is the logic/science behind this? If I understand this right a company in Texas being charged by the USA as fraudulent for stating making made in the USA is not actually made in the USA? WTF?

also, Just trying to learn, what USA company makes solar panels?

[Cherryman]

How can a bankrupted company agree to anything?


Not sure of the US laws and ways, but a bankrupted company has no say anymore, there will be a curator.
And usally no money also, because bankloans and taxes will be deducted first.

[MagnaProp]

...If I understand this right a company in Texas being charged by the USA as fraudulent for stating making made in the USA is not actually made in the USA? WTF?

also, Just trying to learn, what USA company makes solar panels?

Not sure who makes solar panels. I'm wondering if the panels were actually defective or the customers are just mad it didn't have the made in USA sticker on it. Even legit made in USA stickers are most likely made in China 

How can a bankrupted company agree to anything?...

I think bankruptcy offers some protection. Maybe they agreed to sell off more assets instead of jail time?