[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25646-25647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10085]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(Docket 27-2008)


Foreign-Trade Zone 14 -- Little Rock, Arkansas Application for 
Subzone Status Husqvarna Outdoor Products Inc. (Outdoor Power Products 
Manufacturing) De Queen, Arkansas

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, grantee of 
Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 14, requesting special-purpose subzone status 
for the outdoor power products manufacturing facility of Husqvarna 
Outdoor Products Inc. (Husqvarna) located in De Queen, Arkansas. 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, 2008.
    The Husqvarna facility is located at 123 Red Bridge Road, in De 
Queen (13 acres, 850 employees). The facility is used for manufacturing 
various types of electric-powered outdoor products (blowers, trimmers 
and chainsaws, HTSUS numbers 8414.59, 8467.22, 8467.29, 8467.89 and 
8467.81). At full capacity the Husqvarna facility can

[[Page 25647]]

produce up to 4.5 million units annually. Imported components and raw 
materials account for approximately 35 percent of the value of inputs 
used in manufacturing. Parts and components that may be imported into 
the proposed subzone for manufacturing include: plastic tubes, pipes 
and hoses (3917.29); petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals 
(2710.19); carbides (2849.90); lubricating preparations (3403.19); 
polymides (3908.10); plastic monofilament (3916.90); self-adhesive 
plate, sheet, film, foils, tape and strip of plastics ( 3919.90); other 
plate, sheet, film, foil and strip of polymers of styrene (3921.11); 
plastic articles used for packing or conveyance of goods (3923.10, 
3923.29, 3923.50, 3923.90); other plastic articles (3926.90); 
vulcanized rubber tubes, pipes and hoses (4009.11); vulcanized rubber 
conveyor or transmission belts (4010.36, 4010.39); vulcanized rubber 
washers and seals (4016.93); other vulcanized rubber products 
(4016.99); synthetic twine, cordage, rope and cable (5607.50); articles 
of yarn, strip, twine, cordage, rope or cable (5609.50); textile 
articles and products for technical uses (5911.90); labels (6307.90); 
iron or steel flanges (7307.91, 7307.92); self-tapping screws 
(7318.14); screws and bolts, with or without washers (7318.15); nuts 
(7318.16); spring washers and lock washers (7318.21); non-threaded 
articles of iron or steel (7318.29); iron or steel helical springs 
(7320.90); tungsten articles/powders (8101.10); agriculture, 
horticulture or forestry hand tools and their parts (8201.90); 
handsaws, blades and their parts (8202.40); iron or steel flexible 
tubing (8307.10); spark-ignition internal combustion engine parts 
(8409.91); fuel, lubricating and cooling pumps for internal combustion 
piston engines and their parts (8413.30, 8413.91); air and vacuum pumps 
and their parts (8414.59, 8414.90); air filters (8421.31); tool holders 
(8466.10); check valves and their parts (8481.30); pressure-reducing 
and thermostatically controlled valves (8481.80); ball bearings 
(8482.10); needle roller bearings (8482.40); transmission shafts, 
camshafts and crankshafts and their parts (8483.10); bearing housings/
plain shaft bearings (8483.30); gears and gearing and other 
transmission elements, including torque converters (8483.40); flywheels 
and pulleys, including pulley blocks (8483.50); clutches and shaft 
couplings, including universal joints (8483.60); toothed wheels, chain 
sprockets and other transmission elements (8483.900); universal AC/DC 
motors (8501.20); single-phase AC motors (8501.20); multi-phase AC 
motors (8501.52); AC generators/alternators (8501.61); electrical 
transformers, static convertors, inductors and their parts (8504.33, 
8504.40); electromagnetic couplings, clutches and brakes (8505.20); 
primary cells and batteries (8506.80); lead-acid storage batteries 
(8507.20); spark plugs (8511.10); ignition coils (8511.30); electrical 
ignition or starting equipment parts (8511.90); microphones and 
loudspeakers (8518.30); electrical switches (8536.50); lamp-holders, 
plugs and sockets (8536.69, 8536.90); fluorescent lamps (8539.31); 
electrical conductors (8544.42, 8544.49); and, revolution and 
production counters, taximeters, odometers and pedometers (9029.10). 
The duty rates on the imported components range from duty-free to 10.8 
percent.
    This application requests authority for Husqvarna to conduct the 
manufacturing activity under FTZ procedures, which could exempt the 
company from customs duty payments on the imported components used in 
export production. Approximately 30 percent of production is exported. 
On domestic sales, the company could choose the lower duty rate (duty-
free to 2.3 percent) that applies to the finished products for the 
imported components used in manufacturing. Husqvarna may also realize 
savings related to direct delivery and weekly customs entry procedures. 
The company would also realize savings on the elimination of duties on 
materials that become scrap/waste during manufacturing. The application 
indicates that the FTZ-related savings would improve the plant's 
international competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Christopher Kemp of the 
FTZ staff is 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 July 7, 2008. Rebuttal comments in response to material 
submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted during the 
subsequent 15-day period (to July 21, 2008).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available at each of the following addresses: U. S. Department of 
Commerce Export Assistance Center, 425 West Capital Avenue, Suite 425, 
Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201; and, Office of the Executive Secretary, 
Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 2111, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230. For further 
information contact Christopher Kemp at [email protected] 
or (202) 482-0862.

    Dated: April 30, 2008.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-10085 Filed 5-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S