[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 164 (Friday, August 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48612-48613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16827]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[lsqb]Docket 37-2007[rsqb]


Foreign-Trade Zone 143 - West Sacramento, California, Application 
for Subzone, Grafil, Inc. (Carbon Fiber Manufacturing), Sacramento, 
California

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) 
Board (the Board) by the Sacramento-Yolo Port District Commission, 
grantee of FTZ 143, requesting special-purpose subzone status with 
manufacturing authority for carbon fiber products at the facilities of 
Grafil, Inc. (Grafil), located in Sacramento, California. The 
application was submitted pursuant to 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 August 14, 2007.
    The proposed subzone would be composed of two sites in Sacramento, 
California: Site 1 - manufacturing and distribution facility (65,000 
square feet (including a proposed addition of 5,000 sq. ft.) of 
enclosed space on 10 acres), located at 5900 88th Street; and, Site 2 - 
warehousing and distribution facility (46,000 sq. ft. space (within a 
larger 127,249 sq. ft. building) on 1 acre) located at 6003 88\th\ 
Street, less than a half mile south of Site 1.
    The Grafil facilities (109 employees) manufacture 
polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber products, including carbon fiber 
for commercial applications, such as sporting goods and automotive 
products, as well as precision cut fibers. The company is proposing to 
manufacture carbon fiber under zone procedures using foreign-sourced 
polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor, accounting for some 26 percent of 
finished product value.
    FTZ procedures would exempt Grafil from customs duty payments on 
foreign materials used in production for export. Some 28 percent of the 
plant's shipments are exported. On its domestic shipments, the company 
would be able to choose the duty rate during customs entry procedures 
that applies to finished carbon fiber products (duty-free) for the 
otherwise dutiable foreign PAN precursor (duty rates - 7.5[percnt] to 
8[percnt]). The application indicates that FTZ procedures 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 is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is 
October 23, 2007.

[[Page 48613]]

Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted during the 
foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period 
(to November 7, 2007).
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at each of the following locations: U.S. Department of Commerce Export 
Assistance Center, 1410 Ethan Way, Sacramento, California 95825; and, 
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 
2111, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230-0002.
    For further information, contact Diane Finver at [email protected] or (202) 482-1367.

    Dated: August 17, 2007.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-16827 Filed 8-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S