[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 246 (Monday, December 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 78290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30426]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(Docket 68-2008)


Foreign-Trade Zone 82 Mobile, Alabama, Expansion of Manufacturing 
Authority, Sony Electronics Inc.(Digital Print Media Products), Dothan, 
Alabama

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony), operator of Subzone 82D, 
requesting an expansion of the scope of manufacturing authority 
approved within Subzone 82D in Dothan, Alabama. 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 December 11, 2008.
    Subzone 82D (414 employees) was approved by the Board on April 19, 
1996 for the manufacture of unrecorded magnetic media and battery 
systems (Board Order 816, 61 FR 18547, 4/26/1996). The subzone consists 
of four sites in Dothan, Alabama: Site 1 (74 acres) - 4275 Main Street; 
Site 2 (3.3 acres) - 135 Woodburn Drive; Site 3 (1.6 acres) - 921 Tate 
Drive; and, Site 4: 120,000 square feet on 3 acres located at 4106 
Napier Front Road.
    The current request involves the addition of digital print media 
products to the scope of authority for the subzone. Components and 
materials sourced from abroad (representing 62% of the value of the 
finished product) include: ultraviolet absorber, friction control 
lubricants, ribbons, binders, resin, curing agents, cleaning paper, 
plastic bags, spools, print media and tags (duty rate ranges from duty-
free to 6.5%).
    FTZ procedures could exempt Sony from customs duty payments on the 
foreign components used in export production of digital print media. 
The company anticipates that some 25 percent of the production will be 
exported. On its domestic sales, Sony would be able to choose the duty 
rates during customs entry procedures that apply to finished digital 
print media products (duty-free) for the foreign inputs noted above. 
The request indicates that the savings from FTZ procedures help improve 
the plant's international competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Elizabeth Whiteman 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 
February 20, 2009. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to March 9, 2009.
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:
    Office of the City Clerk, City of Mobile, 9th Floor, South Tower, 
Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602.
    Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 2111, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20230.
    For further information, contact Elizabeth Whiteman at [email protected] or (202) 482-0473.

    Dated: December 12, 2008.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-30426 Filed 12-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S