[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 160 (Monday, August 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48194-48195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19100]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 45-2008]


Foreign-Trade Zone 72 Indianapolis, IN, Application for Subzone 
Status, GETRAG Transmission Manufacturing LLC (Automotive 
Transmissions)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Indianapolis Airport Authority, grantee of FTZ 72, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the automotive 
transmission manufacturing plant of GETRAG Transmission Manufacturing 
LLC (GETRAG), located in Tipton, Indiana. 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 August 8, 2008.
    The GETRAG facility (up to 1,170 employees/103 acres/891,000 
sq.ft.) is located at 5880 State Road 28 in Tipton

[[Page 48195]]

(Tipton County), Indiana, about 50 miles north of Indianapolis. The 
plant, currently under construction, will be used to produce dual-
clutch transmissions for automobiles and light trucks (up to 700,000 
units annually) for export and the domestic market. The manufacturing 
process at the facility involves machining, assembly, welding, and 
testing using domestic and foreign-origin inputs. Components that would 
be purchased from abroad (representing about 52% of total, by value) to 
be used in manufacturing include: bearings, differentials, gear sets, 
clutch assemblies and supports, electric control modules, oil pumps and 
gears, solenoids, fasteners, lever assemblies, rod assemblies, pawls, 
retainers, springs, retainers, bushings, articles of plastics, seals, 
gear oil, grease, and adhesives (duty rate range: free 5.8%, 84[cent]/
bbl.).
    FTZ procedures would exempt GETRAG from customs duty payments on 
the foreign components used in export transmission production. On 
domestic shipments transferred in-bond to U.S. automobile assembly 
plants with subzone status, no duties would be paid on the foreign 
transmission components used in automobile and light truck production 
until the finished motor vehicles are entered for consumption, at which 
time the finished automobile duty rate (2.5%) could be applied to the 
foreign-origin components noted above. For the transmissions withdrawn 
directly by GETRAG for customs entry, the finished transmission rate 
(2.5%) could be applied to the foreign inputs. Customs duties also 
could possibly be deferred or reduced on foreign status production 
equipment. The application indicates that the savings from FTZ 
procedures would help improve the facility's international 
competitiveness. In accordance with the Board's regulations, Pierre Duy 
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 below. The closing period for their receipt is 
October 17, 2008. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to November 3, 2008.
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations: 
U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, Suite 106, 11405 
N. Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, Indiana 46032; 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 Pierre Duy at [email protected], or (202) 482-1378.

    Dated: August 8, 2008.
Andrew McGilvray,
 Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-19100 Filed 8-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S