Foreign-Trade Zone 203--Moses Lake, Washington; Application for Manufacturing Authority, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, LLC, (Carbon Fiber Manufacturing), Moses Lake, WA

Andrew McGilvray
January 11, 2011

[Federal Register: January 11, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 7)]
[Notices]               
[Page 1599]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ja11-39]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 4-2011]

 
Foreign-Trade Zone 203--Moses Lake, Washington; Application for 
Manufacturing Authority, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, LLC, (Carbon 
Fiber Manufacturing), Moses Lake, WA

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Port of Moses Lake Public Corporation, grantee of 
FTZ 203, requesting export-only manufacturing authority on behalf of 
SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, LLC (SGL Automotive), located in Moses 
Lake, Washington. 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), specifically 
Section 400.32(b)(1). It was formally filed on January 4, 2011.
    The SGL Automotive facility (12 employees initially and up to 250 
employees at full production; 60 acres) is located within Site 3 of FTZ 
203. This new facility will be used for the manufacture of carbon 
fiber, all of which will be exported for the exclusive use of BMW Group 
in its new electric car production. This application requests authority 
to allow SGL Automotive to conduct manufacturing of carbon fiber (1,500 
metric tons at the outset and up to 15,000 metric tons at full 
capacity) under FTZ procedures for export. Foreign-origin 
polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber (HTSUS 5501.30, duty rate: 7.5%) will be 
used as the primary production input, which represents some 45 percent 
of finished product value.
    FTZ procedures could exempt SGL Automotive from customs duty 
payments on the PAN fiber used in export production (100 percent of 
shipments). FTZ designation could further allow SGL Automotive to 
realize certain customs-related logistical benefits. 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, Diane Finver 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 
February 10, 2011. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to February 25, 2011.
    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 Diane Finver at 
Diane.Finver@trade.gov or (202) 482-1367.

    Dated: January 4, 2011.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-398 Filed 1-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P