[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 71060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31476]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 245 / Monday, December 22, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 71060]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 63-2003]


Foreign-Trade Zone 119--Minneapolis, MN; Application for Subzone 
Expansion and Permanent Authority--Subzone 119B; Wirsbo Company Plant, 
Apple Valley, Minnesota (Polyethylene Tubing)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Greater Metropolitan Area Foreign Trade Zone 
Commission (Minneapolis, Minnesota), grantee of FTZ 119, requesting 
authority to expand the boundary of Subzone 119B, at the Wirsbo Company 
plant in Apple Valley, Minnesota, and requesting that the authority for 
subzone status be extended on a permanent basis. 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 December 12, 2003.
    Subzone 119B was approved by the Board in 1993 with temporary 
authority granted for the manufacture of polyethylene tubing at 
Wirsbo's manufacturing plant (135,000 sq.ft./10.5 acres) in Apple 
Valley, Minnesota (Board Order 640, 58 FR 30143, 5-26-93). Activity at 
the facility (180 employees) includes product development, 
manufacturing, testing, warehousing, and distribution of cross-linked 
polyethylene (PEX) tubing for residential and commercial indoor/outdoor 
hydronic radiant heating systems. The plant produces up to 300 million 
feet of tubing under FTZ procedures annually.
    The applicant is now requesting authority to expand the subzone 
boundaries to include an additional site located at 2300 West Highway 
13, Burnsville (Dakota County), Minnesota, about nine miles northwest 
of the existing subzone site. The proposed Site 2 would include a 22-
acre parcel containing a 413,000 square foot facility (125 employees) 
used for warehousing and distribution of production materials and 
finished tubing. The applicant also requests removal of the time 
restriction on FTZ manufacturing authority pursuant to Board Order 640, 
which authorized the manufacture of PEX tubing under FTZ procedures for 
an initial three-year period, subject to extension.
    Foreign-sourced materials used in the manufacture of tubing (about 
35 percent of total purchases) include: polyethylene (HDPE) resins 
(7.1% duty rate). The company also admits certain parts and materials 
used in constructing the radiant heating systems. Such warehouse 
distribution items include: thermostats, brass and copper fittings, 
aluminum pipe, polyethylene pipe, various polymers and resins in 
primary form, plastic foil, insulation, packaging materials, other 
articles of plastic and rubber, polyester tape, fittings, fasteners, 
mounting tracks, valves, transformers, fuses, relays, junction boxes, 
metal fittings, flow meters, regulators (duty rates: free--8.6%).
    FTZ procedures exempt Wirsbo from Customs duty payments on the 
foreign resin used in export tubing production (1% of shipments). On 
its domestic shipments and exports to NAFTA markets, the company is 
able to choose the duty rate that applies to finished PEX tubing (3.1%) 
for the foreign-origin resin noted above. Duties would continue to be 
paid on the warehouse items entered from the subzone for U.S. 
distribution. The request indicates that the savings from FTZ 
procedures will continue to help improve the facilities' 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 February 20, 2004. Rebuttal comments in 
response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to March 8, 2004).
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the following location: Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-
Trade Zones Board, Franklin Court Building--Room 4100W, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, 1099 14th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005.

    Dated: December 12, 2003.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-31476 Filed 12-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P