[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 88 (Thursday, May 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25372-25373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10333]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket No. 16-2004]


Foreign-Trade Zone 38--Charleston, SC; Application for Subzone, 
Black & Decker Corporation (Power Tools, Lawn and Garden Tools, and 
Home Products Distribution), Fort Mill, SC

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, grantee of FTZ 
38, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the tools and home 
products warehousing/ distribution facility of Black & Decker 
Corporation, in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The facility is located 
within the Charlotte, North Carolina, CBP port of entry. 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 April 29, 2004.
    The Black & Decker facility (1 building, 1,226,000 sq. ft. on 69.57 
acres) is located at 4041 Pleasant Road, York County (Fort Mill area), 
South Carolina. A portion of the building also lies within Mecklenburg 
County, North Carolina. The facility (800 employees) is used for the 
assembling, testing, packaging, warehousing and distribution of hand-
held tools and accessories; home products, including vacuums, 
flashlights and wet scrubbers; security hardware; plumbing products 
(including kitchen and bath faucets and accessories); and, fastening 
and assembly systems (including stud welding, specialty screws and 
related products and accessories; activities which Black & Decker is 
proposing to perform under FTZ procedures. Some 60-70 percent of the 
components are sourced abroad. About 14 percent of production is 
currently exported.
    Zone procedures would exempt Black & Decker from Customs duty 
payments on foreign products that are re-exported. On domestic sales, 
the company would be able to defer payments until merchandise is 
shipped from the plant. The applicant is also requesting to use zone 
procedures to take advantage of inverted tariff situations involving 
the assembly and packaging of certain promotional sets of products. 
Black & Decker is requesting to choose the lower rate on finished 
assembled sets rather than the individual component product rates. The 
component products include hand-held tools, chargers, batteries, tool 
storage boxes, gator clips (duty rates range from zero to 9.0%). In 
certain cases, the finished sets may be classified by the essential 
character of the hand-held tool (duty rates, zero to 3.5%). Assembled 
tool sets constitute some 5 percent of sales from the Fort Mill site. 
The application indicates that the savings from zone procedures will 
help

[[Page 25373]]

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 one of 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 St., NW., Washington, DC 20005; or
    2. Submissions Via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade-Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB--Suite 4100W, 1401 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is July 6, 2004. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to July 20, 
2004).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board's Executive Secretary at address Number 1 listed above, and 
at the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 521 East 
Morehead Street, Suite 435, Charlotte, NC 28217.

    Dated: April 29, 2004.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-10333 Filed 5-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P