Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 78, Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Petainer Manufacturing USA, Inc.; (Polyethylene Terephthalate Preforms); Columbia, Tennessee

The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, grantee of FTZ 78, submitted a notification of proposed production activity to the FTZ Board (the Board) on behalf of Petainer Manufacturing USA, Inc. (Petainer) for Petainer's facility in Columbia, Tennessee within Subzone 78Q. The notification conforming to the requirements of the Board's regulations (15 CFR 400.22) was received on June 8, 2026. Pursuant to 15 CFR 400.14(b), FTZ production activity would be limited to the specific foreign-status material(s)/component(s) and specific finished product(s) described in the submitted notification (summarized below) and subsequently authorized by the Board. The benefits that may stem from conducting production activity under FTZ procedures are explained in the background section of the Board's website—accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz. The proposed finished products include: injection-molded PET bottle preforms used in beverage and food packaging applications; and blow-molded PET watercooler bottles used for beverage and water packaging applications (duty rate is 3%). The proposed foreign-status material/component includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin pellets used as raw material for plastic preforms (duty rate is 6.5%). The request indicates that certain materials/components are subject to duties under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Section 122) or section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (section 301), depending on the country of origin. The applicable section 122 and section 301 decisions require subject merchandise to be admitted to FTZs in privileged foreign status (19 CFR 146.41). The request also indicates that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin pellets used as raw material for plastic preforms is subject to an antidumping/countervailing duty (AD/CVD) order/investigation if imported from certain countries. The Board's regulations (15 CFR 400.13(c)(2)) require that merchandise subject to AD/CVD orders, or items which would be otherwise subject to suspension of liquidation under AD/CVD procedures if they entered U.S. customs territory, be admitted to the zone in privileged foreign status (19 CFR 146.41). Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions shall be addressed to the Board's Executive Secretary and sent to: ftz@trade.gov. The closing period for their receipt is July 27, 2026. A copy of the notification will be available for public inspection in the “Online FTZ Information System” section of the Board's website. For further information, contact John Frye at John.Frye@trade.gov. Dated: June 12, 2026. Elizabeth Whiteman, Executive Secretary.