Foreign-trade Zones Explained & Applied

Art of Supply · Mar 26, 2026 · 31m

"With tariffs in the news again and the trade policy environment shifting, folks are back to wanting to relearn about the [foreign-trade zone] program."

Foreign-trade zones (FTZs) allow companies to bring goods into secure U.S. locations without immediately entering U.S. commerce for customs purposes. They allow businesses to defer duties, taxes, and fees until goods officially enter the market, or avoid them altogether if those goods are ultimately exported.

FTZs are often used by manufacturers to store inventory or assemble kits, but given the current level of trade uncertainty, they have…