South Carolina 'quiet' in battle for Boeing

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon labeled Charleston, S.C. as Everett’s No. 1 competitor for Boeing’s second 787 production line in this interview with reporter Molly Parker with the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

The story comes after Reardon and the Aerospace Futures Alliance sponsored the “Saving Washington Aerospace” conference in Lynnwood earlier this week.

Also on Monday, Boeing unveiled its new sign at the North Charleston factory after finalizing its purchase of Vought’s 787 factory in South Carolina last week. The deal has increased speculation that Boeing may put a second 787 production line not in Everett but in South Carolina.

As the CRBJ’s Parker points out, industry and political leaders in Washington are making a lot more noise about the likely showdown between Charleston and Everett than are South Carolina leaders.

South Carolina officials haven’t made public any major efforts to lure Boeing to place its second line there, the publication reports.

In Washington, the effort to “save” aerospace has been loud this year:

• An aerospace advisor was appointed to the governor.


• The governor formed an aerospace council.


• The Washington Aerospace Partnership was formed.


• Snohomish County and the Aerospace Futures Alliance came up with an aerospace training center in Everett.


• The two held the “Saving Washington Aerospace” summit.

Something tells me this competition won’t come down to which state makes the most noise.