-
PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR SUBZONE THOR INDUSTRIES. INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES The St. Joseph County Airport Authority, Grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone No. 125, has applied to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board for subzone status for Thor Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries (Thor). This requested subzone will incorporate sites Goshen, Elkhart, Topeka, Bristol, Middlebury, Syracuse, Nappanee and Howe, Indiana The site will consist of 576 acres and 78 buildings. Thor and subsidiary facilities (576 acres, 78 buildings, 5,400 employees) are located as follows: Elkhart - 520 and 701 County Road 15, 604 Middleton Run Road, Bullard Road, 4210 and 4221 Pine Creek Road, 25161 Leer Road, 57941 Charlotte Avenue, 2850, 2929 and 2950 Gateway Drive, 1660 and 1730 Gateway Court, 2933, 2939 and 2946 Paul Drive, 2824 Jami Street, 52613 County Road 5, 0 County Road S; Goshen - 2601, 2642, 2694, 2700, 2719, 2855, 2860 and 3246 Hackberry Drive, 2015, 2021, 2400 and 2431 Kercher Road, 2525 and 2530 Linden Drive, 2833 Sourwood Drive and Sourwood Land, 2420, 2425, 2442 and 2478 Davis Drive, 2769 Elders Drive, 2142 and 2145 Caragana Court, 0 Eisenhower Drive North, 2402 Dierdorf Road, 2639 and 2705 Lincoln Way; Bristol -700 South Division Street; Syracuse - 813, 925 and 1000 West Brooklyn; Howe - 7605 North 2 Street and Road 9; Middlebury - 965 North 1150 West; Topeka - 300 and 305 Hawpatch Drive, 1100 and 1115 West Lake Street; Nappanee - 0 Tomahawk Trail, 365 and 656 North Delaware, and 0 Industrial Parkway. The facilities are used for the manufacture, testing, warehousing and distribution of various types of recreational vehicles, including motor homes, travel trailers and fifth wheels (HTSUS numbers 8703.23, 8703.24, 8703.31, 8703.32, 8703.33 and 8716.10) and commercial buses (HTSUS numbers 8702.10 and 8702.90). FTZ procedures would exempt Thor Industries from Customs duty payments on the imported components used in export production. Up to 5 percent of production could be exported. On domestic sales, the company could defer duty payment and choose the lower duty rate (duty-free to 5.7 percent) that applies to the finished products for the imported components used in manufacturing. Thor may also realize savings related to direct delivery and weekly customs entry procedures. The company would also realize savings on the elimination of duties on materials that become scrap/waste during manufacturing. The application indicates that the FTZ-related savings would improve the plant's international cost competitiveness. Public comment on the Application is requested from interested parties. Submissions (original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive Secretary at the address listed below. A copy of the Application and accompanying exhibits will be available for public inspection at each of the following locations: the Office of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board's Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 2111, Washington, D.C. 20230; and at The St. Joseph County Airport Authority, 4477 Progress Drive, South Bend, Indiana 46628. The closing period for comment is February 17, 2009. j8,15
