Foreign-Trade Zone 93Raleigh/Durham, NC, Application for Subzone Status, R.G. Barry Corporation, (Footwear and Thermal Comfort Products), Goldsboro, NC

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 36-94]

Foreign-Trade Zone 93--Raleigh/Durham, NC, Application for

Subzone Status, R.G. Barry Corporation, (Footwear and Thermal Comfort

Products), Goldsboro, NC

An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(the Board) by the Triangle J Council of Governments, grantee of FTZ

93, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, requesting special-purpose

subzone status for the distribution facilities of R.G. Barry

Corporation, located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. 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 November 16, 1994.

R.G. Barry is a manufacturer and distributor of comfort footwear

(household slippers) and thermal comfort products (heat seats, scarves,

back warmers, hand warmers, pocket warmers, ear muffs and bread

warmers) with total sales of over $100 million (1993) and worldwide

employment of 3,685 persons. The company has U.S. plants in San Angelo,

Texas, Goldsboro, North Carolina, and Laredo, Texas, with operational

headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. An application is pending with the

FTZ Board for subzone status for warehouse/distribution activities at

Barry's San Angelo plant (FTZ Docket 34-94, 59 FR 56459, 11/14/94).

R.G. Barry's Goldsboro, North Carolina plant is located at 2201

South John Street (172,020 sq. ft. on 35 acres), some 45 miles

southeast of Raleigh. The facility (65 employees) is engaged in the

warehousing and distribution of R.G. Barry's footwear and comfort

products. The products are generally made of domestic materials

(polyester and other man-made fibers), which are cut at Barry plants in

the U.S. and sent to company plants abroad to be sewn. The finished

products are then shipped to Barry's U.S. distribution centers. While

currently over five percent of the finished products are reexported,

the company plans to increase export activity to 14 percent.

Zone procedures would exempt R.G. Barry from Customs duty payments

on the foreign value involved in products that are reexported. On its

domestic sales, the company would be able to defer Customs duties on

the value added abroad. The application indicates that zone savings

would help improve the international competitiveness of the company's

domestic operations.

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 30, 1995. Rebuttal comments in

response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be

submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to February 13, 1995).

A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be

available for public inspection at each of the following locations:

U.S. Commerce District Office, 400 W. Market St., Suite 400,

Greensboro, North Carolina 27401

Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th Street & Constitution Avenue,

NW., Washington, DC 20230

Dated: November 17, 1994.

Dennis Puccinelli,

Acting Executive Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-28955 Filed 11-29-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P