DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 3-90]
55 FR 4646
February 9, 1990
Foreign-Trade Zone 84 -- Houston, TX; Application for Subzone; United
General Supply Hand Tool Plant, Houston, TX
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the Port of Houston Authority, grantee of FTZ 84, requesting
special-purpose subzone status for the hand tool manufacturing and
distribution operation of United General Supply Company, Inc. (UGS), located
in Houston, Texas. The application was submitted pursuant to the provisions
of the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 USC 81a-81u), and the
regulations of the Board (15 CFR part 400). It was formally filed on January
26, 1990.
UGS is a distributor of hand tools such as pliers, wrenches and
screwdrivers, and manufactures hammers. Some 25 percent of the products are
exported. Its Houston plant (15 employees; 68,000 sq. ft.) is located at
9320 Harwin Drive in southwest Houston.
Zone procedures would exempt UGS from Customs duty payments on reexported
items. On domestic sales, the company would be able to defer duty payments
until products leave the plant. (Customs duty reates: Hand tools 7.1%
(average); hammers & hammer heads 6.2%). The applicant indicates that
subzone status would help improve the company'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: Dennis Puccinelli (Chairman), 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, TX 77057-3012; and, Colonel Brink
P. Miller, District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District Galveston, P.O.
Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229.
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 March 26, 1990.
A copy of the application is available for public inspection at each of
following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce, District Office,
2625 Federal Courthouse Building,
515 Rusk Street,
Houston, TX 77002.
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, room 2835,
14th & Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: February 2, 1990.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 90-2993 Filed 2-8-90; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M