[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34742-34743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11816]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 28-2005]


Foreign-Trade Zone 176--Rockford, Illinois, Application for 
Subzone Status, Nissan Forklift Corporation North America Facilities 
(Fork-Lift Trucks), Marengo, Illinois

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Greater Rockford Airport Authority, grantee of FTZ 
176, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the fork-lift truck 
manufacturing facilities of Nissan Forklift Corporation North America 
(NFC) (a subsidiary of Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., of Japan), located 
in Marengo, Illinois. 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 8, 2005.
    The proposed subzone would include NFC's three facilities located 
in McHenry County, Illinois: Site 1 (manufacturing/23 acres/389,000 
sq.ft.) located at 240 N. Prospect Street, Marengo, Illinois, some two 
miles east of Rockford, Illinois; Site 2 (warehouse-distribution/11 
acres/43,000 sq. ft.) 19720 East Grant Highway, Marengo, about two 
miles to the southeast of Site 1; and Site 3 (leased warehouse/81,000 
sq.ft.) 308 South Division Street, Harvard, Illinois, about 12 miles 
north of Site 1. The facilities (449 employees) are used to produce 
rider type, fork-lift trucks (Class I through Class V) powered by 
gasoline, propane, or electric motors (HTSUS 8427.10.4000, 
8427.20.4000). The manufacturing process at the facilities involves 
painting, assembly, and testing of up to 15,000 units annually. 
Components purchased from abroad (about 48% of finished fork-lift truck 
value) used in manufacturing include: plastic tubes/pipes/hoses/
fittings/gaskets/washers/seals/fasteners, plastic knobs, rubber tubes/
pipes/hoses, rubber mats/o-rings/seals/handles/knobs/vibration 
dampeners, paper/paperboard labels and gaskets, articles of textile 
materials (items under Textile Categories 362/363/369/666/669 must be 
admitted under privileged foreign status 19 CFR Sec.  146.41), 
fabricated items of asbestos, mirrors, aging material, casters, base 
metal mountings, flex tubing, clasps, hydraulic engines, pumps, air 
compressors, wooden pins/dowels, connectors and connector assemblies, 
fasteners, springs, washers, brake components, hinges, pneumatic

[[Page 34743]]

cylinders, engines (gasoline, liquid propane) and related parts, 
hydraulic cylinders and related parts, pumps, air/oil/fuel/hydraulic 
filters, pneumatic and hydraulic valves, valves, bearings, hub/
bearings, transmissions and related parts, transmission belts, 
crankshafts, gears, torque converters, flywheels, pulleys, clutches, 
couplings/u-joints, chains, sprockets, metal gaskets, electrical 
connectors, electric motors, generators, transformers, rotors, stators, 
power supplies, converters, spark plugs, ignition coils and 
distributors, starter motors, relays, switches, horns, capacitors, 
resistors, printed circuits/assemblies, fuses, controllers, circuit 
breakers and protectors, electrical connectors, conductors, lamps/
lighting equipment, photovoltaic cells, ignition wiring harnesses, 
thermostats, measuring instruments (gauges), speedometers, tachometers, 
fiber optic cable, and seats (duty rate range: free - 9.0%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt NFC from Customs duty payments on the 
foreign components used in export production. On its domestic sales and 
exports to NAFTA markets, the company would be able to choose the duty 
rate that applies to finished fork-lift trucks (duty free) for the 
foreign-sourced inputs noted above. Duties would be deferred or reduced 
on foreign production equipment admitted to the proposed subzone until 
which time it becomes operational. The application indicates that 
subzone status would 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 following addresses:
    1. Submissions via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court Building 
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 15, 2005. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to August 29, 
2005).
    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 U.S. Department of Commerce Export 
Assistance Center, 515 N. Court Street, Rockford, IL 61103.

    Dated: June 8, 2005.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-11816 Filed 6-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S