The solar panel subcomponent manufacturing market is heating up in the United States. In addition to more backsheets, EVA sheets and glass being made in America, solar panel makers will soon be able to use Made-in-USA junction boxes in their final product, thanks to Amphenol Industrial Operations.

Amphenol Industrial Operations (AIO), a business unit of Amphenol Corporation, is a leader in interconnect systems for harsh environment applications. The business unit intends to open a 58,000-sq.-ft factory in Mesa, Arizona, to make junction boxes and their associated connectors for both thin-film and silicon solar panel designs. The facility, which should open before the end of the year, will create 50 specialized jobs in the solar manufacturing market.