DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign Trade Zones Board
[Docket 13-89]
54 FR 32102
August 4, 1989
Foreign-Trade Zone 68 -- El Paso, TX; Application for Subzone; Farah
Apparel Plant
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the City of El Paso, Texas, grantee of FTZ 68, requesting
special-purpose subzone status for the apparel processing plant of Farah
Incorporated (Farah) located in El Paso, Texas, within the El Paso Customs
port of entry. 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
July 21, 1989.
The Farah facility (25 acres) is located at 889 Gateway West within a
43-acre industrial park complex at Interstate 10 and Hawkins Boulevard in
the City of El Paso. The plant employs some 200 persons and is used to
design and cut mostly domestic fabric, and to receive and distribute foreign
wearing apparel. The majority of the pieces cut at the plant are shipped to
factories (twin-plants) in Mexico or Costa Rica to be sewn into finished
garments. Upon return to the United States, the garments are subject to
applicable duties and quotas.
The application indicates that Farah would only use zone procedures for
the storage of finished apparel. Farah would make Customs entry for
consumption on any foreign textiles or textile products prior to processing
that would result in a transformation in the zone. This would preclude the
cutting of foreign cloth under zone procedures.
Zone procedures would allow Farah to defer duty payments on foreign
finished wearing apparel while the items are stored at the plant. Subzone
status will also allow the company to take advantage of an exemption from
state/local inventory tax. The application indicates that zone savings will
improve the plant's international competitiveness.
In accordance with the Board's regulations, an examiners committee has
been appointed to investigate the application and report to the Board. The
committee consists of: John J. Da Ponte, Jr. (Chairman), Director, Foreign-
Trade Zones Staff, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; Paul
Rimmer, Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service,
Southwest Region, 5850 San Felipe Street, Houston, Texas 77057-3012; and,
Lt. Colonel Steven M. Dougan, District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer
District Albuquerque, P.O. Box 1580, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103-1580.
Comments concerning the proposed subzone are invited in writing from
interested parties. They shall be addressed to the Board's Executive
Secretary at the address below and postmarked on or before September 22,
1989.
A copy of the application is available for public inspection at each of
following locations:
Office of the District Director,
U.S. Customs Service,
P.O. Box 9516,
El Paso, TX 79985.
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2835,
14th & Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: July 28, 1989.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 89-18186 Filed 8-3-89; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M