Advantages

Gain Competitive Trading Edge With Our Freight Zone

Our Advantages

Doing business with an FTZ gives you numerous advantages over a standard warehouse and even a bonded warehouse. Your company can exploit these benefits in order to gain a competitive edge in your market and save your company time and money.

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A large cargo ship in the ocean at dusk.

Confused With Custom Duties? We’ve Got You Covered

Cash Flow

Customs duties are paid only when imported merchandise is entered into US customs territory. Merchandise may be held in inventory in an FTZ without customs duty payment.

Exports

Goods imported and stored in a foreign trade zone may be exported without ever incurring customs duties, avoiding lengthy drawback procedures.

Inventory Taxes

By federal statute, tangible personal property imported from outside the U.S. and held in an FTZ, and tangible personal property produced in the U.S. and held in a zone for exportation, are not subject to state and local ad valorem taxes. Most state and county tax authorities exempt all merchandise in an FTZ from inventory taxation.

Country of Origin Marking-Labeling

Merchandise, which needs labeling or labeling changes, can be entered into an FTZ and labeled properly. This can substantially reduce expenses for improper marking on goods entering the U.S.

Goods at Hand

In addition to cash flow savings, imported goods bonded to a nearby FTZ allows you closer control over your product. Working with local brokers and banks may save you money and anxiety by arranging customs documentation and financial instrument with people you know.

U.S. Quota Applications

Most merchandise may be held in an FTZ even if subject to U.S. quota restrictions. Merchandise may also be substantially transformed in an FTZ into a non-quota item freeing the transformed merchandise of quota restrictions.

Transfer of Title

Ownership of goods may be transferred in an FTZ by transfer of title to another party.

Quality Control

The FTZ may be used to inspect the product to meet proper specifications before duty is paid. Product not meeting specifications can be repaired, re-exported, or destroyed without duty payments.

Advantages Over a Bonded Warehouse

Previously exported goods that have been returned may be held in an FTZ for disposition, avoiding drawback procedures.

Labor, Overhead, and Profit

Production or assembly operations within an FTZ can result in significant savings. By importing finished products, U.S. duty is applicable to foreign labor, overhead, and profit since it is included in the value of the product. Substantial savings in duty may be obtained by making the finished product within an FTZ.

Two large cargo ships in the ocean under a blue sky.

Advantages Over a Bonded Warehouse

Frequently, we are asked whether the benefits offered by a zone can be realized through a bonded warehouse. As the function-by-function comparison below indicates, a zone does have greater advantages over a bonded warehouse.

Customs entry must be filed to enter goods into a bonded warehouse. In our zone, customs entry is not required until removal from a zone.

In a bonded warehouse, your goods are always under customs lock. Inside a foreign trade zone, you have complete access to goods stored at all times without without paying duty and taxes. Customs personnel need not be present at the immediate work site.

Duties must be paid prior to release from bonded warehouses, whereas in a zone, they are only due upon entry into U.S. territory.

You may not manufacture goods inside a bonded warehouse. One can manufacture in a zone with duty payable only on the salable product, not on the waste material. No duty is paid on export or re-export.

Within a bonded warehouse, goods may not be stored, relabeled, repaired, or discarded, except with individual approval by customs to manipulate. In our zone, substandard goods may be discarded. No duty is paid for shrinkage, evaporation, seepage, damage, accountable loss, etc.

This must be done almost immediately at a bonded warehouse; on the other hand in a zone, the tariff rate and value may be determined either at the time of entry into a zone or when goods leave a zone.

Not to exceed 5 years in a bonded warehouse; however, it is unlimited in an FTZ.