Foreign Trade Zones are useful tools for companies to save money. It’s an area that, for U.S. Customs purposes, is considered to be international commerce. Any foreign or domestic material can be moved into an FTZ without being subject to U.S. Customs duties. An FTZ is operated as a public venture sponsored by a municipality or other authority.

The West Valley is home to such a Foreign Trade Zone, dubbed Foreing Trade Zone No. 277, which is organized under the Alternative Site Framework. Under this framework, there are two types of site: Magnet Sites and User-Driven Sites. Magnet Sites are sites that are pre-approved for future zone users. Future Magnet Sites may be added inside the FTZ No. 277 service area if approved by the U.S. Foreign Trade Zones Board. User-Driven Sites are sites that can be designated at any location within the western part of Maricopa County with a qualified user using the fast-track process that takes 30 days for federal approval.

Here are 14 Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone sites, according to WESTMARC:

1. Sub-Zero, Inc., 4295 S. Cotton Lane, Goodyear

Size: 37.74 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

2. IRIS USA, Inc., 13423 W. Cactus Rd., Surprise

Size: 30.1 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

3. Maxwell Technologies, Inc., 8644 W. Ludlow Dr., Peoria

Size: 2.62 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

4. Airport Gateway at Goodyear, Van Buren Avenue and Bullard Avenue, Goodyear (includes Michael Lewis Co. on 30 acres)

Size: 230.25 acres

Type: Magnet Site

5. PV303 Industrial Park, Loop 303, Goodyear (includes Dick’s Sporting Goods on 53.75 acres)

Size: 196.78 acres

Type: Magnet Site

6. Surprise Pointe, Waddell Road and Litchfield Road, Surprise

Size: 133.01 acres

Type: Magnet Site

7. Goodyear Crossing industrial Park, 16885 W. Commerce Dr., Goodyear

Size: 198 acres

Type: Magnet Site

8. SchoellerAllibert, Inc., 4320 S. Cotton Lane, Goodyear

Size: 3.53 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

9. Buckeye Industrial Park, Turner Road and Baseline Road, Buckeye

Size: 185 acres

Type: Magnet Site

10. Conn’s, Inc., 100 N. 127th Ave., Avondale

Size: 600,000 square feet

Type: Spec./User-Driven Site

11. PV303 Industrial Park, Indian School Road and Loop 303

Size: 616,818 square feet

Type: Spec./Magnet Site

12. The CornellCookson Company, 1901 S. Litchfield Rd., Goodyear

Size: 14.5 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

13. REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), Loop 303 and Camelback Road, Goodyear

Size: 34 acres

Type: User-Driven Site

14. 10 West Arizona Logistics Hub, 339th Avenue and 1-10, Buckeye

Size: 319.84 acres

Type: Magnet Site