Boeing will consolidate Dreamliner production in South Carolina as demand drops

Boeing on Thursday acknowledged it plans to consolidate its 787 Dreamliner manufacturing at its South Carolina facility subsequent yr, a bid to lower costs amid weak demand, marking a blow for its Seattle-area manufacturing hub.

Boeing in July acknowledged it might contemplate consolidating manufacturing strains for the widebody jets, which it presently has in every Everett, Washington, and North Charleston, South Carolina, a plant the place the workforce isn’t unionized.

In the intervening time, Boeing acknowledged it ought to extra cut back already-reduced manufacturing plans for the 787, a plane used often on worldwide routes, which have been further affected than house journey throughout the pandemic. It is going to make six 787 per thirty days subsequent yr from 10 as a result of “ongoing challenges launched by the pandemic and the affect on our airline shoppers.”

Boeing launched the second manufacturing line for the 787 nearly 11 years previously and consolidating manufacturing there’s the most recent ache for Boeing’s workers and the monetary system spherical its Seattle-area manufacturing facilities. Boeing employs about 7,000 of us in South Carolina and close to 70,000 in Washington state, in accordance with its newest counts.

The dismal airplane market on prime of the aftermath of two lethal crashes of its best-selling 737 Max prompted a wave of cost-cutting. Boeing earlier this yr acknowledged it consider to cut back its 160,000-person workforce by 10%, warning this summer season that further cuts are potential.

Boeing moreover plans to stop making the enduring 747 jetliner, which are moreover produced in Everett, in 2022.

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