Obviously, the best way to recover U.S. Customs duties is to never pay them.

For over 35 years the Hawaii Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 has brought the benefits of the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) program to Hawaii companies.  During this time, Foreign-Trade Zone sites throughout the islands have handled over $46 billion of merchandise.  The FTZ program has been instrumental in retaining manufacturing activity in Hawaii; helping companies compete in export markets; and, in incubating new companies that import and export merchandise.

The Hawaii Foreign Trade Zone No. 9 consists of a series of duty-free sites throughout the islands which provide secure locations authorized by the federal government that are legally outside of the customs territory of the United States.  Companies operating in these sites enjoy a number of competitive benefits from operating in a "free trade" environment and are "protected from paying Customs duties."

Normally, when foreign cargo lands on U.S. soil it is subject to customs clearance and payment of U.S. Customs duty. Many firms use foreign-trade zones to postpone and, in the case of the re-export of cargo, avoid the application of U.S. Customs laws that impose duties, taxes, bonds, quotas, and certain other requirements.

Domestic and foreign merchandise may be stored at the Zone, it may be manufactured, displayed, sold, or altered in almost any way that isn't prohibited by U.S. law.

As long as the merchandise remains in the Zone, it is not subject to U.S. Customs laws governing the entry of goods into the customs territory or payment of duty on those goods.

In addition, Zone users can legally minimize the payment of U.S. Customs duties by either paying duty based on the classification of the merchandise at the time of admission to the Zone or by paying duty based on the classification of merchandise when it subsequently enters U.S. Customs territory.

We are serving over 300 small and large business in Hawaii every year.  Our current customers include Chevron, Tesoro, Maui Pineapple Company, Pacific Allied Products, Bamboo Flooring Hawaii, Acme Imports and Exports, Tanaka Distributors, Reyn Spooner, Hawaiian Cooler Company and Aala Produce.

For further information call us at (808) 586-2507
or visit our website at www.ftz9.org