LED Strip Guides

Where Are Metalux LED Flat Panels Manufactured?

Xmart Team
August 15, 2026
8 min read
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The 2×4 FPS panel 24FPSL2SCT3 is listed with Country of Origin: CN and ARRA: Yes.

In other words, the same product record identifies China as the customs origin while also displaying a U.S. procurement-related status.

That is not necessarily a contradiction. It is a warning: country of origin, ARRA status and TAA compliance answer different questions.

For distributors, contractors and project buyers, “Metalux” is not a country of origin. The complete catalog number is what matters.


The Short Answer

Public Metalux product records show:

  • FP and FPS LED panels with China as the country of origin.
  • CGT panels with China origin.
  • CGRK retrofit kits with both China and Thailand listed.
  • FPX configurable panels available with a special TAA prefix.
  • No evidence that every Metalux panel shares one manufacturing location.

Therefore, the correct B2B conclusion is:

Many standard Metalux flat-panel SKUs are publicly identified as China-made, while certain configurable or retrofit products may follow different supply chains.

Metalux Origin by Product Family

ProductOfficial origin informationProcurement implication
14FP4235CChinaStandard 1×4 FP panel
22FP3830C9ChinaStandard 2×2 FP panel
24FP3830C9ChinaStandard 2×4 FP panel
14FPSL1SCT3China1×4 selectable FPS panel
22FPSL2SCT3China2×2 selectable FPS panel
24FPSL2SCT3China2×4 selectable FPS panel
22CGT3535CChina2×2 CGT panel
24CGT4535CChina2×4 CGT panel
24CGRK-L3C3-UNV-MP4China and ThailandOne retrofit-kit SKU may involve more than one origin
FPX configurable panelTAA configuration availableOnly the designated TAA configuration is built for TAA compliance

The origin fields can be reviewed directly on Cooper Lighting Solutions’ official product pages, including the 2×4 FPS selectable panel, 2×4 FP panel and CGRK retrofit kit.

These records are unusually useful because they disclose origin at the catalog-number level.


Why “ARRA: Yes” Does Not Mean “Made in USA”

Several Metalux FPS product pages list China as the country of origin while showing “ARRA: Yes.”

A buyer should not convert that field into a Made-in-USA claim.

ARRA, Buy American, BABA, TAA and customs origin use different rules and may depend on:

  • The funding agency.
  • The contract value.
  • Applicable trade agreements.
  • Waivers.
  • Final assembly.
  • Component-cost calculations.
  • The exact ordered configuration.

The safest approach is to treat the website’s ARRA field as a procurement indicator requiring clarification—not as an origin certificate.

For any funded project, request a written compliance statement identifying:

  1. The exact catalog number.
  2. The regulation being addressed.
  3. The country of origin.
  4. The qualifying manufacturing process.
  5. Any waiver or trade-agreement basis.

A generic “ARRA compliant” statement is not enough for a project submittal.

FPX: The Prefix Changes the Procurement Status

Metalux FPX is its more configurable panel platform, supporting multiple drivers, sensors, emergency options and control systems.

The current FPX specification sheet includes a domestic-preference field:

  • Blank prefix: standard configuration
  • TAA prefix: Trade Agreements Act configuration

The document specifically states that only configurations carrying the designated prefix are built to comply with TAA.

This creates a simple purchasing rule:

A standard FPX quotation cannot be assumed to carry the same procurement status as a TAA-prefixed FPX.

The buyer should also confirm the origin of separately shipped accessories. The specification sheet warns that accessories and separately shipped components may require their own domestic-preference analysis.

A compliant luminaire does not automatically make every suspension kit, sensor or emergency accessory compliant.

CGRK Shows Why Family-Level Origin Is Unreliable

The Metalux 24CGRK-L3C3-UNV-MP4 retrofit kit lists two countries of origin: China and Thailand.

This could reflect alternate approved manufacturing locations, different included components or a supply-chain transition. The public page does not explain which origin will apply to a specific shipment.

A buyer should therefore ask:

  • Will the quoted production lot ship from China or Thailand?
  • Can both origins appear within one purchase order?
  • Does the driver share the same origin as the panel assembly?
  • Will a factory change affect the DLC or safety listing?
  • Is origin locked after order confirmation?

This is more than a labeling issue. China and Thailand can produce different tariff outcomes even when the commercial model number remains unchanged.

The 2026 Tariff Impact

Many base-metal commercial LED ceiling fixtures may be classified under HTSUS 9405.11.60, although the importer and customs broker must confirm the correct classification.

For a China-origin Metalux panel, landed-cost analysis may include:

  • The normal HTSUS duty.
  • China Section 301 duties.
  • Current Chapter 99 measures.
  • The 10% reciprocal tariff maintained under the current U.S.–China arrangement through November 10, 2026.
  • The July 2026 forced-labor Section 301 action.
  • Import processing and logistics costs.

The USTR tariff search should be checked using the exact eight-digit HTS code.

The July 2026 USTR final action also placed new duties on goods from numerous economies, including China, Thailand and Vietnam, subject to specific exemptions.

This creates another counterintuitive result:

Moving a panel from China to Thailand may remove certain China-specific duties, but it does not automatically make the product tariff-free.

The correct comparison is the total entered cost under each origin—not the country name alone.

Which Metalux Panel Fits Which Buying Situation?

Standard commercial project

FP or FPS may be appropriate when availability, established specifications and channel recognition are more important than origin flexibility.

Verify:

  • Current origin
  • DLC listing
  • Driver compatibility
  • Dimming range
  • Replacement availability

Government procurement

Use an expressly designated configuration such as the applicable TAA-prefixed FPX only after receiving project-specific documentation.

Do not rely on the general family name.

Retrofit program

CGRK may reduce installation labor and packaging waste, but its China/Thailand origin should be fixed before the landed-cost calculation is approved.

Private-label distribution program

A private-label platform may provide more control over origin, packaging, selectable settings and batch consistency, but the buyer becomes more responsible for documentation and import compliance.

Xmart’s commercial backlit LED panel platform supports 1×4, 2×2 and 2×4 formats, selectable wattage and CCT, 0–10V dimming, channel-specific packaging and Vietnam production.

production for backlit panel 2

Vietnam origin may reduce exposure to China-specific Section 301 duties, but it should not be sold as automatically tariff-free. A professional quotation should include the current HTS assumption, Certificate of Origin support and applicable 2026 tariff scenario.

What to Put in the RFQ

Before approving a Metalux panel or an OEM alternative, request:

  • Complete catalog number
  • Manufacturing country for the quoted lot
  • Fixture and carton label photos
  • HTS classification
  • Current tariff assumptions
  • UL or ETL file information
  • DLC model ID
  • Driver brand and model
  • TAA, BAA or BABA letter where applicable
  • Factory-change notification requirement
  • Replacement compatibility commitment

If the supplier lists more than one country, the purchase order should state which origin is approved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Metalux LED panels made in the USA?

The official records reviewed do not support that conclusion for all Metalux panels. Multiple standard FP, FPS and CGT catalog numbers list China as their country of origin. Certain FPX configurations are available with a TAA prefix, but TAA compliance is not the same as a universal Made-in-USA claim.

Are Metalux FPS panels made in China?

The reviewed 1×4, 2×2 and 2×4 FPS product pages list CN as the country of origin.

Why does a Metalux product say both “China” and “ARRA: Yes”?

The fields address different compliance questions. ARRA status should not be treated as proof of U.S. customs origin. Request a project-specific explanation and compliance letter.

Where are Metalux CGRK retrofit kits manufactured?

The reviewed 2×4 CGRK model lists China and Thailand. The buyer should confirm which manufacturing location applies to the quoted production lot.

Are TAA-prefixed FPX panels made in the United States?

Not necessarily. TAA products may originate in the United States or another designated country. Request the exact country of origin instead of assuming it from the TAA designation.

Bottom Line

Many standard Metalux LED flat panels are publicly identified as China-made. FPX adds a specific TAA procurement route, while CGRK demonstrates that one catalog number may involve more than one manufacturing country.

For B2B buyers, the practical rule is simple:

Price the catalog number, verify the production lot and document the origin before calculating landed cost.

Brands and distributors developing a controlled-origin panel program can submit an OEM specification or RFQ to Xmart.

Tags: OEM & ODM Project Lighting
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