The Economy

Boeing Supplier Spirit AeroSystems Aims to Restart Production on Monday

April 19, 2012

A tornado that ripped through Spirit's Wichita campus caused 'a significant amount of damage' to the company's infrastructure.

Josh Cable

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. on Wednesday said it plans to restart production at its Wichita, Kan., operations on Monday, April 23.

Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems (IW 500: 198), which makes fuselages and other assemblies for commercial airplanes, shut down production this week after a tornado ripped through its Wichita campus Saturday night, causing "a significant amount of damage," according to the company.

"We are committed to doing what we have to do to bring our factory up and running by Monday," Spirit AeroSystems President and CEO Jeff Turner said on the company's website.

"Spirit has made very good progress with our recovery plan this week. Now it's time to bring our entire Wichita team safely back to work, with the flexibility and responsiveness to serve the needs of our customers."

Workers clear debris left by a tornado that ripped through Spirit's Wichita, Kan., campus. (Photo courtesy of Spirit AeroSystems)
Spirit cleanup crews "have been working around the clock since Saturday night's tornado to assess the damage, build and work recovery plans, clear debris and restore basic services to the site," the company said.

"It doesn't have to be perfect or pretty," Turner said on Spirit's website. "It has to be safe and operational, and allow us to produce quality products on a regular drumbeat to meet our customer needs."

Spirit has agreed to pay its employees their normal wages this week, despite the shutdown.

The tornado that hit Spirit's Wichita campus was part of devastating storm system that slammed the Great Plains states this weekend.

Spirit's initial assessments indicated "that damage is primarily limited to infrastructure, including buildings and utilities, and that production equipment appears to be largely unaffected," the company said on Monday.

None of Spirit's employees were injured in the tornado.

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.