Boeing said on March 19 it would ramp up production of its 777 and 747-8 planes to support anticipated rising customer demand in a recovering airplane market.
"Our customers recognize the great capability and value of the 777 and 747-8," said Jim Albaugh, Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive. "Market improvement and our conservatively managed approach to production have put us in a position where we see it necessary to raise aircraft output. Increasing our rate is the right thing to do to support our customers."
Boeing plans to increase the rate of production of the twin-aisle 777 airliner to seven airplanes per month from five per month, bringing forward a timetable by about six months, to mid-2011 from early 2012.
In April 2009, amid the global economic crisis, Boeing had announced it would scale back the 777's rate of production to three planes per month, from the current five planes per month, beginning in June 2010.
The company advanced its planned production rate the jumbo 747-8 to two airplanes per month from 1.5 per month by a year, to mid-2012 from mid-2013.
"We see 2010 as the year of overall economic recovery within the industry and 2011 a year where airlines return to profitability," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "As a result, we anticipate an increase in demand for airplanes in 2012 and beyond."
The company said it did not expect the accelerated production to have a material impact on 2010 financial results.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
