Boeing has kicked off construction on a major expansion of its South Carolina operations that will ramp up 787 Dreamliner production to 10 jets per month by 2026.
The company is pouring more than $1bn into upgrades across its two North Charleston campuses and expects to create 1,000-plus new jobs over the next five years.
The facility will include a new 1.2-million-square-foot final assembly building, expanded parts-prep, additional flight line capacity and enhancements to the Interiors Responsibility Center. More than 2,500 construction workers will log an estimated 6.2 million hours on the build.
The expansion comes as demand for Boeing’s 787 family surges. With over 2,250 orders from 90 customers, the Dreamliner remains the world’s best-selling widebody.
Boeing has delivered more than 1,200 to date and still holds a backlog nearing 1,000 jets, including 300+ new orders this year.
“We continue to see strong demand for the 787,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a press release. “This investment ensures we’re ready to meet our customers’ needs for decades.”
State and federal leaders hailed the move as a major win for South Carolina’s manufacturing economy, praising the workforce and long-term job creation tied to the project.
Boeing, which established its South Carolina operations in 2009, now employs more than 8,200 workers across its Lowcountry sites, home to the entire production cycle of the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.
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