The Foreign-Trade Zones Program as a Local Economic Development Tool

MOBILE, AL August, 2003 -- The article by Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation's Greg Jones, Foreign-Trade Zones: Using a Federal Trade Program as a Local Economic Development Tool, appears in the Summer, 2003 issue of Trade and Industry Development (www.tradeandindustrydev.com). The article touches upon the unique strengths of this federal program that involves the participation of both public and private sector entities.U.S.-based companies use the FTZ program to increase their cost-effectiveness in international trade. As Zone users become more competitive with producers overseas, jobs are created at home while local suppliers and vendors maintain their geographical advantage. The resulting increase in economic activity supports the tax base for the local government, which is then reflected in the community's infrastructure. New or improvements to roads, schools, hospitals and public services are just a few of the economic benefits to communities where an FTZ is located.Greg Jones is a principal of the Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation " Zone Project Administrators and consultants for 8 Zone projects in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Greg specializes in integrating business-oriented FTZ procedures into the operations of companies that use Zone procedures for manufacturing and distribution operations, and in helping communities establish FTZ projects. He has been an active member of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones since 1987 and served as its president from 1993 to 1995. In October 2000, Greg was designated by the NAFTZ as an Honorary Life Member.The Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation is a service provider offering FTZ cost-benefit analyses, applications, boundary modifications, assistance in designing and creating Zone projects, training, and Foreign-Trade Zone software.-end-CONTACT: Sara L. Dellinger, Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation+1-251-471-6725sara_ftzcorp@themail.comWeb site: http://www.ftzcorp.com/