Strategic Plan and Location for Famous Footwear Provider

Brown Shoe Company, Inc. recently marked the completion of its 350,000-square foot Famous Footwear Distribution Center, adding time savings and cost efficiencies to the process of shipping footwear to the chain's stores and consumers on the West Coast.

The Famous Footwear DC is located within Tejon Industrial Complex (TIC), a 1,450-acre master-planned business park anchoring California's central trade corridor at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 99 in Central California. TIC is part of the 270,000-acre Tejon Ranch, the largest contiguous expanse of private land in California. This strategic location, approximately 90 minutes north of the Los Angeles ports and four hours south of Oakland, gives warehouse operators efficient access to the state's two major port complexes and the ability to serve consumers from San Francisco to San Diego and east to Las Vegas in a one-day truck turn.

The Famous Footwear DC currently employs about 75 people, and is expected to create approximately 40 additional jobs in upcoming months. TIC provides access to the qualified workforce of the Bakersfield area, a 24-hour operating environment critical to warehouse operators, Foreign Trade Zone designation, efficient access to all the transit corridors of the 11 Western States, and has ample room for future expansion and customization.

To read the full article, visit Business Facilities.

FTZ Board Grants ZF Lemforder Corporation Authority for FTZ #38 Subzone Status

In a notice published in the Federal Register on June 3, the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board granted authority for subzone status for activity related to assembly of automotive suspension systems at the ZF Lemforder Corporation facility located in Spartanburg, SC (Subzone 7), as requested by the South Carolina Ports Authority, grantee of FTZ #38. The application was formally filed on April 30, 2008.

To read the full article, please visit Export Industry News.

Enid City, Oklahoma Gets the OK for a FTZ

A foreign trade zone can be a significant economic development for the city of Enid because it can allow participating businesses to defer or eliminate taxes on imported items.

Matthew S. Weaver, director of marketing and business development for Oklahoma City Free Trade Zone, discussed the benefits during the Enid City Commission study session Tuesday night. Weaver said a foreign trade zone is a customs duty management program created by the federal government in 1934 as part of the New Deal. Its purpose is to expedite trade and help increase global competitiveness of U.S.-based companies.

FTZ 106, located at Will Rogers World Airport, is a grantee and can grant the status to Enid. The city’s plan is to establish the zone at Enid Woodring Regional Airport, to aid in the development of an industrial park there. Weaver said there are cash flow advantages, including lower inventory costs, deferred, reduced or eliminated customs duties (taxes), savings distribution, preferential duty rates and other advantages.

An item allowing the establishment of a foreign trade zone was approved during the regular commission meeting.

To read the full article, please visit Enid News.

Expansion Sought for Louisiana's FTZ #124

An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board by the Port of South Louisiana, grantee of FTZ #124, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the barite milling facility of Excalibur Minerals LLC, located in New Iberia, Louisiana. It was formally filed on May 6, 2009.

The Excalibur facility is used for activities related to the milling (heating, grinding, crushing), storage and distribution of ground barite, primarily for the US market. The material that would be purchased from abroad is raw barite, dutiable at $1.25 per metric ton.

FTZ procedures could excempt the company from customs duty payments on the foreign component used in export production. The company anticipates that less than 1% of the plant's shipments will be exported. On its domestic sales, Excalibur would be able to choose the duty rate during customs entry procedures that applies to the ground barite (duty free) for the foreign input noted above. FTZ designation would further allow Excalibur to realize logistical benefits through the use of weekly customs entry procedures, as well as savings from the elimination of duties on materials that become scrap/waste during manufacturing. The application indicates that the FTZ-related savings would help improve the facility's international competitiveness.

To read more, please visit Import Industry News.

Proposed FTZ in Kern County, California

An application has been submited to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board by the County of Kern Department of Airports to establish a general-purpose foreign-trade zone at sites in Kern County, California. Meadows Field Airport in Kern County has been designated by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as a user fee airport. The application was submitted pursuant to the provisions of the FTZ Act and the regulations of the Board. It was formally filed on April 28, 2009.

For more details on the proposed zone, please visit Export Industry News.

TEDA Seeking Foreign-Trade Subzone Status

Once a year, community leaders from Terrebonne and Lafourche embark upon a mission to Washington, D.C. with hopes of persuading our federal leaders to help get funding for projects, change laws and consider federal applications. This year’s trip, organized by the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, began on March 29.

Focused on identifying and promoting opportunities for business and industry, Terrebonne Economic Development Authority's (TEDA) itinerary included meetings with the Department of Transportation’s marine administration, Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, Representative Charlie Melancon, Invest in America, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Labor, the Foreign Trade Zone-Department of Commerce, EX-IM Bank and the USDA.

Two meetings in particular, one with the Foreign Trade Zone-Department of Commerce, and another with EX-IM Bank, laid the foundation for immediate-action items upon Ferdinand’s return to Terrebonne. For three years, TEDA has pursued Foreign Trade Subzone status for several Terrebonne businesses.

“Its value is a marketing tool to attract and retain businesses to Terrebonne in order to manufacture, sell, and collect taxes on the items it produces,” Ferdinand commented.

In the meeting, several opportunities were realized for Terrebonne. As a result, TEDA is pursuing a new platform within the program for Terrebonne to receive FTZ status.

To read the full article, visit the Daily Comet.

Aventure Aviation Named Top Exporter in Southeast

Aventure Aviation, a supplier of aircraft parts headquartered in Peachtree City, has been selected by the US Small Business Administration as the winner of the 2009 Exporter of the Year for Georgia and Exporter of the Year for the Southeast US.

The Exporter of the Year award is presented to companies based on the total number of export deals completed in 2008, increase in sales in 2008 compared to previous years, exports as percentage of total sales, the company's commitment to exporting and to customer service, and the company's innovation and originality in marketing their products or services.

Aventure has grown substantially since its formation in 2001 when it began with only one international account and three staff members. Today, exports account for over 90% of its sales and Aventure has increased its staff to thirteen employees. To accomodate this growth, in June 2008, Aventure Aviation expanded and moved into their new custombuilt facility on six acres in Peachtree City, GA, located in the Foreign Trade Zone.

To view the full article on Aventure Aviation, visit The Citizen.

Expansion Sought for Kentucky's Foreign-Trade Zone #29

An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board by the Louisville and Jefferson County Riverport Authority, grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone #29, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the aluminum foil liner stock manufacturing plant and warehouse of Reynolds Packaging LLC (Reynolds), located in Louisville, Kentucky. 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 March 25, 2009.

FTZ procedures could exempt Reynolds from customs duty payments on the foreign aluminum converter foil used in export production (about 15% of annual shipments). On domestic shipments, the company would be able to elect the duty rate that applies to finished aluminum foil liner stock (duty free) for the foreign aluminum converter foil. Reynolds would also be exempt from duty payments on any aluminum foil for consumer use that becomes scrap or waste during the repackaging activity. The application indicates that the savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the facilities’ international competitiveness.

To view the full article, visit The Official Export Guide at
http://blogs.officialexportguide.com/news/?p=2430

If You Were in Doubt, Utah Really is Global

The phrase "Utah is global" took on even greater meaning last week, when the Foreign-Trade Zones Board of the U.S. Department of Commerce approved Salt Lake City's application to reactivate Foreign Trade Zone #30.

A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a geographical location, licensed by the U.S. government. Salt Lake City's FTZ will offer Utah businesses important advantages in competing on a global scale.

"This is great news for Salt Lake City and Utah businesses," says Mayor Ralph Becker, "and a great complement to the other assets we have in place as a global city."

To read the full article, visit the Utah Pulse at http://www.utahpulse.com/featured_article/if-you-were-doubt-utah-really-global

Pittsburgh International Airport Development Designed to Attract Business

Trammell Crow Co. will build two speculative industrial buildings near Pittsburgh International Airport later this year in hopes of attracting companies that can help build the region into a distribution center.

"Our primary goal ... is to put Pittsburgh on the global stage and to bring greater awareness of Pittsburgh International Airport to a larger pool of companies looking to expand their operations and enhance their competitiveness," he said.

The new buildings, ranging from about 100,000- to 220,000-square-feet, will be in a foreign trade zone and are suited to housing freight forwarders or other logistics operators, Bradford said. Air cargo eventually could be developed on land south of International Drive, to which Trammell Crow also has development rights, he added.

To view the full article, visit Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_617822.html

Salt Lake City Foreign-Trade Zone Receives Reorganization Approval from U.S. Commerce Department

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker announced today that Salt Lake City has received approval to reactivate its Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) from the Foreign-Trade Zones Board of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Salt Lake City's zone project is designated FTZ #30.

"This is great news for Salt Lake City and Utah businesses" commented Mayor Becker. "A Foreign-Trade Zone in Utah is a significant advantage to companies who are doing business in international trade or thinking about that opportunity. It is a great complement to the other assets we have in place as a global city."

A Foreign-Trade Zone is a designated site licensed by the U.S. government that offers U.S.-based businesses advantages in competing with foreign firms in international trade. A designated zone can defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties, improve cash flow, lower inventory costs, and streamline customs procedures.

The Salt Lake City Foreign-Trade Zone is located at a 55 acre site at 1105 South 4800 West and is planned for development of 1.2 million square feet of warehouse, distribution and/or light manufacturing facilities. The newly reactivated zone replaces one that was begun in 1977 at the International Center but has been inactive since 1995. The new FTZ is managed and developed by The Rockefeller Group, an organization with more than 30 years of success in marketing and developing FTZs in the United States.

"We are fortunate to have such an experienced partner as The Rockefeller Group serving as the manager and developer of the zone site" said Bob Farrington, Salt Lake City Economic Development Director. "The Rockefeller Group has the experience, expertise, and motivation to make this work for all concerned."

Brandi Hanback, Managing Director of Rockefeller Group Foreign Trade Zone Services, has been coordinating the Salt Lake City FTZ approval process. She also serves as Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones. The Rockefeller Group will identify future operators and users of the zone and work with those companies to realize FTZ benefits.

"This is a significant benchmark in Utah's international efforts," commented Utah Governor Jon Huntsman upon hearing of Salt Lake City's FTZ approval. "I am convinced that our future growth will be linked to our worldwide trading partners."

To view this article, visit Utah Pulse at http://www.utahpulse.com/featured_article/salt-lake-city-foreign-trade-zone-receives-reorganization-approval-us-commerce-depa

FTZB Receives Application to Expand Activity in Illinois Zone

The Foreign-Trade Zones Board has received an application from the Tri-City Regional Port District, grantee of FTZ 31, requesting authority on behalf of WRB Refining LLC to expand the scope of manufacturing activity conducted under zone procedures within Subzone 31B at the WRB oil refinery complex at sites in Madison County, Ill. Comments on this application are due by May 19.

The refinery is undergoing an expansion that will add units and upgrade existing units within the subzone boundaries and is expected to expand crude production capacity up to 380,000 barrels per day. Zone procedures would exempt the increased production from customs duty payments on the foreign products used in its exports. On domestic sales of the increased production the company would be able to choose the duty rates for certain petrochemical feedstocks (zero) by admitting foreign crude oil in non-privileged foreign status.

To view this article, visit WorldTrade/Interactive at http://www.strtrade.com/wti/wti.asp?pub=0&story=30574&date=3%2F20%2F2009&company=

Regular County Board Meeting of the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners

In the March 3, 2009 Board Meeting, public comment was made on the County Highway's 332 Project and included information about possible routes to the Foreign Trade Zone. Below are the comments recorded. For a complete transcript of the meeting, visit the The Daily Journal online.

The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:50 a.m. Russ Tilander, an employee of Boise’s Processing Center, stated support for the County’s Highway 332 Project as the Burner Road needs to be vacated to Boise for safety reasons. He informed the Board 120,000 cords of wood cross the Burner Road in a year and the concern of Boise employees working in this area for the public’s safety is increasing as the number of crossings increase. Board members stated that due to concerns expressed by the International Falls business owners last week and learning of the Border Customs expansion study, the Board today appointed members to attend the Custom Station Expansion Study meetings to propose an idea of designing the Custom Station expansion to accommodate a redesign of the bridge line making Highway 53 the feasible route to take to get in the bridge line to Canada, which should alleviate concerns that tourists will use the County’s Highway 332 Route to get in line.

The Board members stated that there are so many interests that have come into play around this road project and the County Board is doing their best to weigh them all. The Highway Engineer stated that he is moving forward on presenting road design plans to satisfy the MNDot Commissioner’s order to submit plans within 60 days, and knowing the City of International Falls is requested denial of the order through the Court of Appeals. Terry Randolph, VFW Commander, informed the Board of upcoming veteran events such as Vietnam Veteran Welcome Home Day, Veterans Loyalty Days and plans to hold another Stand Down. Aarden Barnes asked whether county roads in French Addition were looked at as possible routes to the Foreign Trade Zone.

The Engineer stated that this was looked at when he was asked to review potential routes and it was concluded that this residential area was not conducive to a high truck traffic road. Ms. Barnes asked if the County considered purchasing private property for sale by the Highway 11 Overpass to construct an emergency service road for Ranier and the lake area. Board members stated that talks continue with the railroad and that this option was looked at, however, the estimated cost is high.