New Jersey-based MX Solar has officially declared its participation, and founding role, in the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM), which includes over 160 US companies supporting the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases against China’s state-sponsored manufactures of PV cells and modules.

　　MX Solar has a production capacity of 65MW, with the ability to expand, and employs 140 people, but has not been immune to the effects of the economy, coupled, with what it believes are the effects of unfair trade practices by Chinese PV companies. The company has seen downsizing occur over the past few years and employees state that they worry about the future of not only MX Solar, but other US PV module manufacturers.

　　“What China is doing really does negatively affect everyone,” said Elijah Sonnier, MX’s quality manager. “Essentially, China is trying to corner the market. They corner the market and push everyone else out, and then they set their own prices,” Sonnier said. “If you’re going to be for fair trade, well, this isn’t it. We’ve seen this before. We’ve seen this in many arenas, not just PV modules…”

　　Last December, the US International Trade Commission unanimously issued a preliminary ruling that Chinese trade practices are causing determents to the US domestic solar industry. The US Department of Commerce is set to make a preliminary determination on March 20 as to whether a levy countervailing import duties to balance of the effects of any illegal Chinese subsidies should be put in place.

　　“We need an opportunity to compete fairly and not just to be pushed into the corner,” Sonnier concluded. “We produce a good product, and MX Solar has viability to build market share. But the forces from China are tremendous. It’s challenging. Everybody’s worried.”