[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 58 (Monday, March 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12059-12060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7049]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 22-96]


Foreign-Trade Zone 43, Battle Creek, Michigan, Application for 
Subzone Status; Abbott Manufacturing, Inc./Ross Products, Plant (Infant 
Formula, Adult Nutritional Products), Sturgis, MI

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City of Battle Creek Michigan, grantee of FTZ 43, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for export activity at the 
infant formula and adult nutritional products manufacturing plant of 
Abbott Manufacturing, Inc. (AMI) (a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, 
Inc.), located in Sturgis, Michigan. 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 March 12, 1996.
    The plant (624,000 sq.ft. on 76 acres), known as the Ross Products 
facility, is located at 901 N. Centreville Road, Sturgis (St. Joseph 
County), Michigan, approximately 45 miles southwest of Battle Creek. 
The facility (500 employees) is used to produce milk and sugar-based 
infant formula and adult nutritional products for export and the 
domestic market; however, zone procedures would be used only for 
production for export. The production process involves blending 
foreign, ex-quota milk powder and foreign, ex-quota sugar with 
domestically-sourced oils, soy isolates, vitamins and minerals, and EZO 
ends. Other foreign-sourced items that may be used in the export-
blending activity include: cocoa powder, pharmaceutical grade fat 
emulsions, vitamins and minerals, and caseinates (up to 14% of finished 
product value). All foreign-origin milk and sugar would be re-exported 
as ingredients in finished blended products.
    Zone procedures would exempt AMI from quota requirements and 
Customs duty payments on the foreign milk and sugar products used in 
the export activity and from Customs duty payments on the other foreign 
ingredients involved. The application indicates that subzone status 
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 on the application is invited from interested 
parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
the Board's Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing 
period for their receipt is May 24, 1996. Rebuttal comments in response 
to material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted 
during the subsequent 15-day period (to June 10, 1996).
    A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:

Office of the Port Director, U.S. Customs Service, 4950 West Dickman 
Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20230-0002.


[[Page 12060]]

    Dated: March 14, 1996.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-7049 Filed 3-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P