99-28658. Foreign-Trade Subzone 229ABuffalo, WV; Expansion of Manufacturing Authority, Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, Inc. (Automobile Transmissions)  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 2, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 59160]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-28658]
    
    
    
    [[Page 59160]]
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    Foreign-Trade Zones Board
    [Docket 52-99]
    
    
    Foreign-Trade Subzone 229A--Buffalo, WV; Expansion of 
    Manufacturing Authority, Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, Inc. 
    (Automobile Transmissions)
    
        An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
    (the Board) by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, 
    grantee of FTZ 229, requesting authority on behalf of Toyota Motor 
    Manufacturing West Virginia, Inc. (TMMWV), operator of Subzone 229A, at 
    the TMMWV plant located in Buffalo, West Virginia, to expand the scope 
    of FTZ authority to include the manufacture of automobile transmissions 
    under FTZ procedures. It was formally filed on October 25, 1999.
        Subzone 229A was approved in 1998 with activity granted for the 
    manufacture of internal-combustion engines for automobiles (Board Order 
    955, 63 FR 9177, 2-14-98). An application for an expansion of the scope 
    of manufacturing authority to include new engine capacity under FTZ 
    procedures is currently pending (Docket 3-99, 64 FR 6877, 2-11-99).
        TMMWV is now requesting that its scope of manufacturing authority 
    be extended to include increased capacity for the production of 
    automobile transmissions. The completed transmissions will be shipped 
    to Toyota's automobile assembly plant in Kentucky. The TMMWV plant's 
    capacity will be increased to produce 360,000 automatic transmissions 
    per year, and the activity will involve machining and assembly using 
    domestic and foreign-origin components. The expanded operations will 
    maintain or reduce the current level of foreign-sourced components used 
    in the manufacturing process. Components to be sourced from abroad will 
    at the outset comprise about 60% of the finished transmissions' 
    material value, including: body check balls, spring pins, springs, 
    rollers, spacers, snap rings, wire trim, neutral start switches, shims, 
    and washer springs (duty rates: free--4.4%).
        FTZ procedures would exempt TMMWV from Customs duty payments on the 
    foreign components used in production for export. On transmissions 
    shipped to domestic auto assembly plants, company would be able to 
    choose the 2.5 percent automobile duty rate for the foreign inputs 
    noted above when the transmissions (as components of autos) are 
    processed for Customs entry. The transmission rate (2.6%) would apply 
    to the foreign components if the finished transmissions are directly 
    entered for consumption from the TMMWV plant. The application indicates 
    that the savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the facility's 
    international competitiveness.
        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 on the application is invited from interested 
    parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
    the Board's Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing 
    period for their receipt is January 3, 2000. Rebuttal comments in 
    response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
    submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to January 17, 2000).
        A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be 
    available for public inspection at each of the following locations:
    
    U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, Suite 807, 405 
    Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301
    Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
    Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, 
    NW, Washington, DC 20230
    
        Dated: October 25, 1999.
    Dennis Puccinelli,
    Acting Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board.
    [FR Doc. 99-28658 Filed 11-1-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
11/02/1999
Department:
Commerce Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
99-28658
Pages:
59160-59160 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket 52-99
PDF File:
99-28658.pdf