Posted By John Gillie on November 20, 2009 at 9:49 am
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Boeing broke ground this morning in North Charleston, S.C., for a second assembly line for its 787 jetliner.
The assembly line will be the first outside the Puget Sound area for Boeing's commercial jets.
The company announced that North Charleston won the contest for the second line over Everett just three weeks ago. In establishing another assembly line outside of Washington, Boeing is firing a shot at its combative Machinists Union which has struck multiple times in the last two decades.
Boeing and the Machinists had talked about an extended labor peace pact for Everett and Renton, its two assembly sites in Washington, but were unable to reach agreement. Boeing's South Carolina plant is likely to be non-union.
"Today's event marks the beginning of an expansion plan that will strengthen the 787 program and allow us to continue building on the footprint we have established in South Carolina with Boeing Charleston and Global Aeronautica," said Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
While Charleston was a contestant in the 2003 derby for the original 787 assembly line, Boeing came to the state through the back door. Two of its major partners in the 787 program, Vought Aircraft Industries and Global Aeronautica, built plants in Charleston to build 787 components.
When Vought failed to successfully manage its plant, Boeing bought out the Texas company's plant and its half interest in Global Aeronautica.
The new 720,000-square-foot factory is expected to begin producing three 787s a month in 2012. Until then, Boeing will open a temporary second 787 assembly line in Everett. When Charleston is running well, Boeing will close the second line in Everett keeping the first line running there.
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