[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3705-3706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1244]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 2-2010]


Foreign-Trade Zone 201--Holyoke, MA; Application for Subzone; 
Yankee Candle Corporation (Candles and Gift Sets); Whately and South 
Deerfield, MA

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Holyoke Economic Development and Industrial 
Corporation, grantee of FTZ 201, requesting special-purpose subzone 
status for the candle and gift set manufacturing facility of Yankee 
Candle Corporation (Yankee Candle), located in Whately and South 
Deerfield, Massachusetts. The application was submitted pursuant to the 
provisions of the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as

[[Page 3706]]

amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and the regulations of the Board (15 CFR 
part 400). It was formally filed on January 13, 2010.
    The Yankee Candle facilities (1,516 employees, 20,000,000 kg annual 
candle capacity, 3,200,000 unit annual gift set capacity) consist of 
four sites on 95 acres: Site 1 (44 acres) manufacturing and kitting 
facility located at 102 Christian Lane, Whately; Site 2 (31 acres) 
distribution facility located at 27 Yankee Candle Way, South Deerfield; 
Site 3 (10.5 acres) distribution and kitting facility located at 1 
Plain Road, South Deerfield; and Site 4 (9.6 acres) warehousing 
facility located at 14 Industrial Drive West, South Deerfield. The 
facilities are used for the manufacturing and kitting of candles and 
gift sets. Components and materials sourced from abroad (representing 
3-5% of the value of the finished candles and 25-30% of the value of 
the finished gift sets) include: metal lids, glass candle toppers and 
tart warmers (duty rate ranges from 2.6 to 30%).
    FTZ procedures could exempt Yankee Candle from customs duty 
payments on the foreign components used in export production. The 
company anticipates that some 10 percent of the plant's shipments will 
be exported. On its domestic sales, Yankee Candle would be able to 
choose the duty rates during customs entry procedures that apply to the 
finished candles (duty-free) and gift sets (duty rate ranges from 6 to 
7.2%) for the foreign inputs noted above. FTZ designation would further 
allow Yankee Candle to realize logistical benefits through the use of 
weekly customs entry procedures. Customs duties also could possibly be 
deferred or reduced on foreign status production equipment. The request 
indicates that the savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the 
plant's international competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Elizabeth Whiteman of 
the FTZ Staff is designated examiner to evaluate and analyze the facts 
and information presented in the application and case record and to 
report findings and recommendations 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 
March 23, 2010. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to April 7, 2010.
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, 
Room 2111, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230-0002, and in the ``Reading Room'' section of the 
Board's Web site, which is accessible via http://www.trade.gov/ftz.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Whiteman at 
[email protected] or (202) 482-0473.

    Dated: January 13, 2010.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-1244 Filed 1-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P