Boeing to expand Winnipeg plant to ramp-up production for 737
by CanadianManufacturing.com Staff,
Workers will build the one-piece composite acoustic inner barrel on the newly designed engine nacelle inlet for Boeing's 737 MAX.
WINNIPEG—Boeing Canada Winnipeg will expand its Murray Park Road manufacturing operations to accommodate new composites work for Boeing’s 737 MAX airplane.
The building will be expanded by 14,000 square meters to a total of 62,000 square meters of manufacturing space. Inside, workers will construct the one-piece composite acoustic inner barrel on the newly designed engine nacelle inlet for the 737 MAX.
The newly redesigned inner barrel on the 737 MAX helps reduce the operational noise of the airplane by up to 40 per cent.
The next generation commercial jet is set begin shipping to customers in the fourth quarter, 2017.
“Boeing Canada Winnipeg has a great future ahead in support of unprecedented production rates,” said Kevin Bartelson, general manager, Boeing Canada Winnipeg. “Earlier this year, we negotiated a successful contract extension with our local Canadian Auto Workers union. This contract ensures we have the stable workforce, skills and now the manufacturing space we need to take on exciting new production for the 737 MAX.”
The expanded building, which includes two bays about the size of 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools, will house the 737 MAX and some 787 Dreamliner production. Construction will begin immediately on the west side of the existing Murray Park facility, with an estimated completion by the fourth quarter of 2014. Today’s event was held in conjunction with Stantec and Graham Construction, the design-builders of the facility.
“I am very pleased with how our Winnipeg team has actively taken steps to be globally competitive and a reliable supplier to Boeing,” said Ross R. Bogue, vice-president and general manager, Boeing Fabrication, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We value the Canadian aerospace industry by consistently placing work with our Boeing Canadian facilities and supplier partners.”
Canada is one of the largest international supplier bases for Boeing. It has 1,900 employees across Canada and partners with more than 200 major suppliers, generating roughly $1 billion annually in Canada. Boeing Winnipeg is the largest aerospace composite manufacturing centre in Canada.
