Boeing to boost 737 production rate to 42 jets monthly

Published 7:42 am Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Boeing Co. will ramp up production on its popular 737 to 42 jets monthly in 2014, the company said Wednesday.

The new rate will have Boeing workers in Renton building nearly two aircraft every work day and almost 500 single-aisle jets annually, Boeing said.

“Customers are demanding

our Next-Generation 737 at an unprecedented rate,” said Jim Albaugh, Boeing’s president of commercial airplanes. “New performance improvements and enhanced passenger comfort features have driven home the value equation for our customers.”

The 737 program produces 31.5 airplanes monthly and expects to go to 35 per month in early 2012. The next rate hike, to 38 aircraft per month, will take place in the second quarter 2013. This newly announced production increase of 42 737s monthly will occur in the first half of 2014.

“We have worked very closely with our supply chain and our world-class manufacturing team to ensure we can increase rate in an efficient and responsible fashion,” said Beverly Wyse, general manager of the 737 program in a prepared statement.

In a message to employees, also sent Wednesday morning, Wyse noted that Boeing’s plan to reach 42 jets monthly includes “a combination of step-by-step implementation, capital investments, additional tooling, continued pursuit of Lean+ improvements and additional team members.”

Boeing has a backlog of roughly 2,100 unfilled orders for its 737.