[Federal Register: January 25, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 17)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3685-3686]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja02-40]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 5-2002]

 
Foreign-Trade Zone 61--San Juan, Puerto Rico Expansion of 
Manufacturing Authority-Subzone 61G IPR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Plant 
(Pharmaceuticals) Carolina, PR

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by IPR Pharmaceuticals, Inc., requesting to expand the 
scope of manufacturing authority under zone procedures within Subzone 
61G, at the IPR plant in Carolina, Puerto Rico. It was formally filed 
on January 17, 2002.
    Subzone 61G was approved by the Board in 1995 at a single site (2 
bldgs./135,552 square feet, on 6.78 acres)

[[Page 3686]]

located at Sabana Gardens Industrial Park, Main Street, Carolina, 
Puerto Rico, with authority granted for the manufacture of a range of 
human health products (Board Order 787, 60 FR 63499, December 11, 
1995).
    IPR is now proposing to expand the scope of authority for 
manufacturing activity conducted under FTZ procedures at Subzone 61G to 
include additional general categories of inputs that have recently been 
approved by the Board for other pharmaceutical plants. They include 
chemically pure sugars, empty capsules for pharmaceutical use, protein 
concentrates, natural magnesium phosphates and carbonates, gypsum, 
anhydrite and plasters, petroleum jelly, paraffin and waxes, sulfuric 
acid, other inorganic acids or compounds of nonmetals, ammonia, zinc 
oxide, titanium oxides, fluorides, chlorates, sulfates, salts of 
oxometallic acids, radioactive chemical elements, colloidal precious 
metals, compounds of rare earth metals, acyclic hydrocarbons, 
derivatives of phenols or peroxides, acetals and hemiacetals, 
phosphoric esters and their salts, diazo-compounds, glands for 
therapeutic uses, wadding, gauze and bandages, pharmaceutical glaze, 
hair preparations, lubricating preparations, albumins, prepared glues 
and adhesives, catalytic preparations, diagnostic or laboratory 
reagents, prepared binders, acrylic and ethylene polymers, self-
adhesive plates and sheets, other articles of vulcanized rubber, 
plastic cases, cartons, boxes, printed books, brochures and similar 
printed matter, carboys, bottles, and flasks, stoppers, caps, and lids, 
aluminum foil, tin plates and sheets, taps, cocks and valves, and 
medical instruments and appliances. Materials sourced from abroad 
represent some 50%-65% of finished product value.
    Zone procedures would exempt IPR from Customs duty payments on 
foreign materials used in production for export. Some 30-40 percent of 
the plant's shipments are exported. On domestic shipments, the company 
would be able to defer Customs duty payments on foreign materials, and 
to choose the duty rate that applies to finished products (duty free--
14.2%) instead of the rates otherwise applicable to the foreign input 
materials (duty free--20%)(noted above). The application indicates that 
the savings from zone procedures would help improve IPR'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 is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at one of the following addresses:
    1. Submissions Via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-
Trade-Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court 
Building--Suite 4100W, 1099 14th St. NW., Washington, DC 20005; or
    2. Submissions Via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade-Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB--Suite 4100W, 1401 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is March 11, 2002. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 5-day period (to March 18, 
2002).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board's Executive Secretary at address Number 1 listed above, and 
at the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 525 F.D. 
Roosevelt Ave., Suite 905, San Juan, PR 00918.

    Dated: January 16, 2002.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-1911 Filed 1-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P