[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 230 (Thursday, November 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 69203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20292]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 45-2006]


Foreign-Trade Zone 86--Tacoma, WA, Request for Manufacturing, 
Authority (Home Theater System Kits)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Port of Tacoma (Washington), grantee of Foreign-
Trade Zone (FTZ) 86, requesting authority on behalf of Panasonic 
Consumer Electronics Co. (PCEC) and its warehouse/FTZ operator, 
Norvanco International Inc. (Norvanco), for the manufacture (kitting) 
of home theater systems under FTZ procedures. (Norvanco/PCEC has 
already been approved for this activity through November 2008 under FTZ 
temporary/interim manufacturing procedures.) 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 November 8, 2006.
    Norvanco operates a facility (100 employees) in Sumner, Washington, 
within Site 6 of FTZ 86, that will be used for the kitting of home 
theater systems (HTSUS 8527.31). The finished products would enter the 
United States duty free. Imported components/inputs that may be 
admitted under FTZ procedures are subwoofers (HTSUS 8518.21) and 
speaker boxes (HTSUS 8518.22). Since submission of the application to 
the FTZ Board, the applicant has clarified that it is not seeking 
authority for a third listed input--packing materials--to be admitted 
to the FTZ other than as ancillary to the other listed components. Duty 
rates on the two proposed imported components are currently 4.9 percent 
ad valorem.
    This application requests authority for Norvanco to conduct the 
kitting activity under FTZ procedures on behalf of PCEC, which would 
allow the company to choose the duty rate that applies to the finished 
product for the foreign components noted above. Norvanco/PCEC also 
anticipates realizing logistical savings. The application indicates 
that the proposed kitting activity is currently performed abroad and 
that FTZ-related savings would enable the shifting of that activity to 
Norvanco's Washington facility, thereby helping to improve the 
facility'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 the address listed below. The closing period for their 
receipt is January 29, 2007. Rebuttal comments in response to material 
submitted during the forgoing period may be submitted during the 
subsequent 15-day period (to February 13, 2007).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations: The 
Seattle U.S. Export Assistance Center, 2601 Fourth Avenue, Suite 320, 
Seattle, WA 98121; and Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board, Room 2814B, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

    Dated: November 21, 2006.
Pierre V. Duy,
Acting Executive Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-20292 Filed 11-29-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P