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Shoals Technologies Group Files Patent Infringement Complaint with ITC Against Hikam and Voltage
Shoals seeks to prohibit the alleged infringing products from importation into the United States PORTLAND, Tenn., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shoals
About this update from Shoals Technologies Group, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Shoals seeks to prohibit the alleged infringing products from importation into the United States\nPORTLAND, Tenn., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (“Shoals” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SHLS), a leading provider of electrical balance of systems (“EBOS”) solutions for solar, storage, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, announced today that it has filed a patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against Hikam America, Inc., based in Chula Vista, California (“Hikam”), and Voltage, LLC, based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (“Voltage”). The complaint also names related foreign entities of both Hikam and Voltage. Shoals is requesting that the ITC institute an investigation into the alleged infringement under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to bar the importation of the alleged infringing products into the United States. Shoals has also filed complaints against the Hikam defendants in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, and against the Voltage defendants in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina related to the same matter. “Shoals has invested millions of dollars over our 27-year history to develop innovative products and technologies to reduce installation costs and improve reliability and safety for the utility scale solar, storage and EV charging markets,” said Jeff Tolnar, Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of Shoals. “While we welcome healthy competition – especially that which betters the industry – we take our patents very seriously and will defend them vigorously to protect our intellectual property. As a U.S.-based company with design and manufacturing in Tennessee, Alabama, and California, we hope the ITC will protect our IP and support domestic manufacturing and job creation by banning the import of what we believe are infringing products from entering the U.S. market.” Shoals’ complaint asks the ITC to investigate unlawful imports of certain photovoltaic connectors and components that infringe on two valid and enforceable patents owned by Shoals relating to improved connectors for solar panel arrays (U.S. Patent No. 10,553,739 and U.S. Patent No. 10,992,254). Shoals’ complaint requests that the ITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desi...