[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28574-28575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13423]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 26-95]


Foreign-Trade Zone 75--Phoenix, Arizona; Application for Subzone 
Status, SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc. (Semiconductors), Phoenix, 
Arizona

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City of Phoenix, Arizona, grantee of FTZ 75, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the semiconductor 
manufacturing plant of SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc. (STM), 
located in Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Customs port of entry area). The 
application was submitted pursuant to the provisions of the Foreign-
Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and the regulations of 
the Board (15 CFR part 400). It was formally filed on May 25, 1995.
    The STM plant (250,000 sq. ft. plus 250,000 sq. ft. planned on 17 
acres) is located at 1000 East Bell Road, Phoenix. The facility (300 
employees) is used to produce a range of semiconductor devices. While 
the plant's primary product line currently involves microprocessors, 
other products that are or could be made at the facility include 
application-specific processors, memory chips, flash memories, and 
other power and signal processing devices. Foreign sourced materials 
(up to 50% of total) involve primarily gold, adhesives, resins, plastic 
sheets, and plastic packaging materials. Other materials that may also 
be purchased from abroad include transformers, capacitors, diodes, 
transistors, integrated circuits, resistors, printed circuits, 
switches, wire, fasteners, and other electrical and automatic data 
processing equipment and components. Some 10 to 15 percent of the 
finished products are exported.
    Zone procedures would exempt STM from payments of Customs duties on 
foreign materials used in production for export. On domestic sales, the 
company would be able to choose the duty rates that apply to the 
finished products (mostly duty-free). The duty rates on foreign-sourced 
items range from duty-free to 20 percent (with most in the 2.1- 
[[Page 28575]] 7.4% range). The application indicates that the savings 
from zone procedures would help improve the plant's international 
competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, a member of the FTZ 
Staff has been designated examiner to investigate the application and 
report to the Board.
    Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is 
July 31, 1995. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period (to August 15, 1995).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:

U.S. Department of Commerce, District Office, Phoenix Plaza, Suite 970, 
2901 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20230

    Dated: May 25, 1995.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-13423 Filed 5-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P