Foreign-trade zones: the low-profile, high-impact economic engine.(Foreign-Trade Zones)(Advertisement)

U.S. foreign-trade zone operations are inconspicuous, while their locations are strategically positioned in close proximity to an airport or a deep-water port. Foreign-trade zones have real impact on the U.S. public. They provide exporters and global manufacturers with cost efficiencies that translate into lower consumer prices. Their activities, likewise, contribute to employment and border security. In meeting the complex and cost-driven demands of international trade, these vital economic engines are helping to drive a bustling U.S. economy.

In addition to fulfilling a number of critical roles, such as the duty-free assembly of imported components for duty-free export as finished product, U.S. foreign-trade zones are avenues for opportunity. They support 338,000 jobs in communities located …