CBP Finds U.S. is Country of Origin for BREEZ Patient Transport Chair
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a final determination concerning the country of origin of the BREEZ patient transport chair. CBP has determined that the U.S. is the country of origin of the patient transport chair for purposes of U.S. government procurement.
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The final determination was issued at the request of Electro Kinetic Technologies.
(CBP issues country of origin advisory rulings and final determinations on whether an article is or would be a product of a designated country or instrumentality for the purpose of granting waivers of certain "Buy American" restrictions in U.S. law or practice for products offered for sale to the U.S. government.)
Chair is Assembled in U.S. with 481 Parts from China, Canada, France and U.S.
Electro Kinetic is headquartered in Wisconsin and designs and manufactures the BREEZ patient transport chair, which is intended to transport patients or mobility impaired individuals. With the drive system integrated into the wheelchair, the chair can be maneuvered through tight or crowded hallways, rooms, etc.
The BREEZ transport chair is produced in the U.S. from 481 components of Chinese, Canadian, French, or U.S. origin. The majority of the components are assembled in the U.S. in 26 subassemblies, which are ultimately assembled with the remaining components into the final product. It takes about six and a half hours to produce the finished patient transport chair.
CBP Says Chair is a Product of U.S. as Substantial Transformation Occurs There
CBP notes that the BREEZ patient transport chair comprises the assembly of a large number of components. Under the described assembly process, CBP finds the foreign components lose their individual identities and become an integral part of the article, the patient transport chair, possessing a new name, character and use.
CBP also states that the assembly process that occurs in the U.S. is complex and meaningful. Therefore, CBP finds that the imported components that are used to manufacture the patient transport chair are substantially transformed as a result of the assembly operations performed in the U.S. and that the country of origin of the patient transport chair for government procurement purposes is the U.S.
Any Party-at-Interest May Request Judicial Review by August 31
CBP states that any party-at-interest, as defined in 19 CFR 177.22(d), may seek judicial review of a final determination by August 31, 2011. In addition, under 19 CFR 177.31, any party-at-interest other than the party which requested this final determination may request that CBP reexamine the matter anew and issue a new final determination.
CBP Contact - Elif Eroglu (202) 325-0277
(FR Pub 08/01/11, HQ H156919)