Boeing tells 787 suppliers to halt deliveries to Everett

Published 5:17 pm Monday, October 25, 2010

The Boeing Co. has halted deliveries from suppliers of 787 parts into Everett as its Italian partner, Alenia Aeronautica, struggles to catch up.

This summer, Alenia discovered workmanship issues with the 787 horizontal tails it supplies Boeing.

Other 787 suppliers have been asked to hold shipments of their components for two weeks on average, said Lori Gunter, spokeswoman for the 787 program.

“We need all of the partners to be shipping at the same rate,” she said.

This is the third time in 2010 that Boeing has stopped shipments of Dreamliner parts into Everett, where the 787 is assembled.

Boeing’s suppliers will continue to build parts and 787 employees in Everett will keep working on the 787s already in progress, Gunter said.

“Everyone will continue working,” she said.

Just last week, Boeing said the first delivery of its much-delayed 787 is on track for next February.

Gunter said Monday that the company’s decision to halt 787 parts shipments won’t affect the first delivery.