Fuji Heavy Industries is expanding its factory in Handa, Japan, to accommodate Boeing’s planned production ramp-up on its new 787 jet.
Fuji broke ground on the expansion on Monday. The facility will be Fuji’s third at its Handa site for the integration of Boeing’s 787 center wing box and main landing gear wheel well.
Production at the new Fuji factory is expected to begin in November 2011. Eventually, Boeing plans to build 10 787s monthly between its final assembly locations in Everett and North Charleston, S.C.
Boeing is nearly three years late in delivering its first 787, due to assembly problems and issues with its global supply chain that complete large sections of the Dreamliner.
Boeing has yet to announce whether a recent electrical fire on a 787 and the grounding of its 787 test planes will disrupt its Dreamliner delivery schedule. Analyst Heidi Wood, with Morgan Stanley, predicted yesterdaythat Boeing’s 787 test fleet will remain on the ground for another month or longer and that first delivery will be postponed until 2012.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.