[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 35857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15288]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 25-2003]


Foreign-Trade Zone 203--Moses Lake, WA; Application for Subzone 
Status; Inflation Systems, Inc., Plant (Automotive Airbag Inflators and 
Propellant); Moses Lake, WA

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Moses Lake Public Corporation, grantee of FTZ 203, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the automotive airbag 
inflator and propellant manufacturing plant of Inflation Systems, Inc. 
(ISI) (a subsidiary of Takata Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan) located in 
Moses Lake, Washington. 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 June 9, 2003.
    The ISI plant (125 acres/234,000 sq. ft.) is located at 9138 
Randolph Road NE in Moses Lake (Grant County), Washington. The facility 
(300 employees) is used to produce automotive airbag inflators and 
related propellant for export and the domestic market. The plant has 
capacity to produce about four and half million inflators and three 
million pounds of propellant annually. Propellants ISI manufactures 
include 3110, 2004, 128T classified under HTSUS 3602.00.00 (duty free). 
Components and chemical inputs purchased from abroad (representing 
between 10-72% of finished inflator and propellant value) include: 
bases, caps, flanges, disks, bodies, closures, and connectors 
classified under HTSUS 8708.99.8080, filters, strontium nitrate, 5AT, 
K5AT, BHT, and DNPH (duty rate range: free--6.5%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt ISI from Customs duty payments on the 
foreign components and chemicals used in export production. On its 
domestic sales and exports to NAFTA countries, ISI would be able to 
choose the duty rates that apply to finished propellant (duty free) and 
airbag inflators (2.5%) for the foreign inputs noted above that have 
higher rates. 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 following addresses:
    1. Submissions via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court Building--
Suite 4100W, 1099 14th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005; or,
    2. Submissions via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB--4100W, 1401 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is August 18, 2003. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to September 1, 
2003).
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board's Executive Secretary at 
address No.1 listed above and at the Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection Office, Grant County International Airport, 7810 Andrews 
Street NE., Moses Lake, Washington 98837.

    Dated: June 10, 2003.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-15288 Filed 6-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P