Sometimes, importers bring goods into the United States that fall within a protected American Industry. At the direction of Congress, and in accordancewith U.S. laws, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) is charged with protecting these industries. They accomplish their mission in two ways. Some foreignimports fall under a quota system that only allows them to be sold in the U.S. at certain times of the year. Other imports are subject to unique Duty Taxes, which must be paid before they can be sold in the U.S. Also, some foreign imports are subject to both…At Belts Logistics, we can accept imports that are subject to CBP quotas and duty taxes, because we operate active Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs). An FTZ allows quota products to be stored in a U.S. warehouse before a particular quota has opened, and it allows importers to defer their duty taxes until they find a U.S. buyer, which can improve their overall cashflow considerably.FTZ storage is analogous to traditional “bonded” storage, but without any limit on storage duration. FTZ items can stay “in-zone” indefinitely, and they can be kitted or otherwise manipulated in-zone when it is most convenient for the importer…without any duty taxes having to paid beforehand.Of note, “foreign” trade zones are different than “free” trade zones, which we sometimes see in airports and seaports. In free trade zone shops, duty taxes are forgiven completely. But in foreign trade zones, duties are simply deferred to a later date that is more convenient for the importer.Belts Logistics Services is proud to operate Foreign Trade Zones for our distribution and fulfillment customers, because it allows them to import their products year-round, taking advantage of off-season shipping discounts, and optimizing their cash flows by meeting their expenses more strategically.For more information about Foreign Trade Zone storage at Belts Logistics, please contact us at info@beltslogistics.com.