Greater Miami Foreign-Trade Zone
Founded in 1976, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce was granted a license to operate a Foreign Trade Zone in the Greater Miami area, from the Department of Commerce. This led to the creation of the Greater Miami Foreign Trade Zone, also known as GMFTZ #32. The GMFTZ, Inc. views the FTZ program, which it administers in its defined Service Area, as an economic development tool capable of providing benefits to companies located in the Greater Miami area as well as to companies looking to locate in the area.
As a Grantee, GMFTZ, Inc. is responsible for providing general management of the zone and ensuring that the reasonable needs of the business community are served through (1) sponsorship of FTZ designation and production applications to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board, with the companies interested in obtaining the FTZ benefits preparing the applications; and (2) sponsorship of FTZ activation and alteration applications filed with Customs & Border Protection, with the companies interested in utilizing the FTZ preparing the applications.
In its role as a Grantee, the GMFTZ, Inc. is responsible for ensuring (1) that FTZ #32 is operated as a public utility, with all rates and charges for all services or privileges within the zone being fair and reasonable; (2) that any entity interested in securing and using FTZ benefits at FTZ #32 be provided uniform treatment under like conditions to all other zone participants; and (3) that the Annual Report to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board be filed in a timely fashion.
In the 1990s, The Chamber was approved as an Alternative Site Framework. This designation allowed companies to operate from anywhere within the designated zone area, no longer having to operate in one building designated as an FTZ.
Once again, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce went to bat for the Foreign Trade Zone Community requesting that the entire Miami-Dade County become a Foreign Trade Zone. In January 2019, the Department of Commerce agreed and designated Miami-Dade County as a Foreign Trade Zone.
FTZ schedule of fees
GMTZ Inc. Board Members
Hernán Albamonte
Philip Morris International
Ines Calderón
Calderon & Associates LLC
Alejandra Collarte
Collarte & Associates
Hernando Gómez-Gómez
BDO USA, LLP
Gina Polo
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
Olga Ramudo
Express Travel
Jose Rojas
Rojas Law