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last update: September 2002 

                           (Cite as: 58 FR 65329)


                                  NOTICES

                           DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

                               (Docket 60-93)

   Foreign-Trade Zone 194--Rio Rancho, New Mexico; Request for Processing
              Authority; Lukens Medical Corp.; Medical Sutures

                         Tuesday, December 14, 1993


An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the 
Board) by the City of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, grantee of FTZ 194, 
requesting authority on behalf of Lukens Medical Corporation (Lukens) to 
process surgical sutures under zone procedures within FTZ 194. 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 2, 1993.

FTZ 194 was approved on June 7, 1993 (Board Order 637, 58 FR 39006,
7/21/93), and currently consists of 5 parcels (567 acres) within the Rio
Rancho Industrial Park.

The Lukens plant (11 acres) is located within the zone at 500 Laser Road,
Rio Rancho. The facility is used for the manufacturing/processing of
surgical sutures, bone wax and surgical instruments. At this time, however,
Lukens is seeking authority to use zone procedures only for the processing
of surgical sutures. This involves attaching suture material (catgut) to
stainless steel needles by inserting it into a laser-drilled hole at the
end of a needle. Catgut and needles are sourced from abroad.

Zone procedures would exempt Lukens from Customs duty payments on foreign
components used in processing for export. On its domestic sales, the
company would be able to choose the duty rate that applies to finished
sutures (3.5%). The duty rate on catgut is 3.5 percent while the duty rate
of needles is 6.5 percent. The company is also seeking an exemption from
Customs duties on defective and waste materials (est. 5%-20%). The
application indicates that zone savings would help improve the
international competitiveness of the facility.

In accordance with the Board's regulations, a member of the FTZ Staff has
been 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 14, 1994.
Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing
period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to 
February 28, 1994).

A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be available for
public inspection at each of the following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce District Office, 
1100 St. Francis Dr., 
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503.

Office of the Executive Secretary, 
Foreign-Trade Zones Board, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, room 3716,
14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: December 6, 1993.

John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,

Executive Secretary.

(FR Doc. 93-30484 Filed 12-13-93; 8:45 am)