[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9126-9127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4588]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 8-99]


Foreign-Trade Zone 26--Atlanta, GA: Request for Manufacturing 
Authority; Matsushita Communication Industrial Corporation of U.S.A. 
(Automotive Audio/Electronics and Telecommunications Products)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone, Inc., grantee of FTZ 26, 
pursuant to Sec. 400.28(a)(2) of the Board's regulations (15 CFR Part 
400), requesting authority on behalf of Matsushita Communication 
Industrial Corporation of U.S.A. (MCIC) (a subsidiary of Matsushita 
Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Japan) to manufacture automotive audio, 
electronic and telecommunications products under FTZ procedures within 
FTZ 26. It was formally filed on February 16, 1999.
    The MCIC facility (263,000 sq.ft.) is located at 776 Highway 74 
South within a proposed site of FTZ 26 in the Peachtree City Industrial 
Park, in Peachtree City, Georgia (application pending; Doc. 22-98, 63 
FR 23720, 4-30-98), some 25 miles south of Atlanta. The MCIC facility 
(875 employees) is used to produce: (1) automotive audio products, 
including electronic tuning AM, AM/FM radios, AM/FM radio/cassette/
compact disk units, compact disk players and changers, cassette deck 
units, power amplifiers, (2) automotive electronic components, 
including knock sensors and navigation system monitors; and (3) 
telecommunications products, including digital phone systems (including 
voice mail, caller ID, intercom), telephone line amplifiers, pagers, 
cellular/cordless and mobile phones, personal communication systems, 
wireless local loop systems, subscriber units, and base/scanner 
stations for the U.S. market and export. Components sourced from abroad 
(representing up to 75% of total unit material value) include: self-
adhesive plastic plates/foil/film, labels, copper and steel fasteners, 
steel springs, cable, batteries, buzzers, electronic parts 
(transformers, inductors, regulators, capacitors, resistors, diodes, 
transistors, LED's, insulators, conductors), liquid crystal displays, 
microphones, integrated circuits, PC boards and assemblies, electrical 
switches, varistors (metal oxide), loop cords, relays, jigs, 
potentiometers, chargers, connector plugs, heat sinks/glue, 
thermistors, surge suppressors, speakers, arresters,

[[Page 9127]]

rectifiers, antenna and terminals, other telecom and audio parts (duty 
rate range: free=6.2%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt MCIC from Customs duty payments on the 
foreign components used in export production (about 5% of shipments). 
On its domestic sales, MCIC would be able to choose the duty rates 
during Customs entry procedures that apply to automotive audio/
electronic and telecommunications products (free=5.1%) for the foreign 
inputs noted above. The motor vehicle duty rate (2.5%) could apply to 
the finished automotive audio products that are shipped to U.S. motor 
vehicle assembly plants with subzone status for inclusion into finished 
motor vehicles under FTZ procedures. The request indicates that the 
savings from FTZ 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 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 April 26, 1999. Rebuttal comments in 
response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to May 10, 1999).
    A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at the following location: 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.

    Dated: February 16, 1999.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-4588 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P