EVERETT, Wash. — Boeing has announced next steps to prepare its North Line in Everett for production, a move that will expand manufacturing of the 737 MAX aircraft and create new job opportunities.
The North Line is fully built but has remained non-operational while Boeing addresses workforce training and production stability. Currently, all 737 MAX jets are produced at the company’s Renton facility, with three active production lines.
Local business owners near the plant expressed optimism regarding the expansion.
BK Lee, a small-restaurant owner close to the facility, said the company provides a significant portion of his customer base.
“I think it’s going to be good news for us,” Lee said. “Actually, Boeing is the biggest customer for our restaurant. So, it will be great for the future. Yeah, really good news.”
A Boeing spokesperson said the company is currently hiring and training employees for mechanics and quality positions for this fourth production line.
Scott Hamilton, an aviation analyst at Leeham News & Analysis, explained that the hiring process will take time, and the North Line will be staffed by a combination of experienced transfers and new hires.
“This is a brand-new line that has never been done in Everett, so you have employees from the Renton factory that will be coming up to provide some of the experiences necessary,” Hamilton said. “You will have employees from Everett, who have never built a 737.”
Boeing is also working to meet stability requirements set by the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency previously capped 737 MAX production at 38 planes per month after a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in early 2024. That production limit increased to 42 in October.
Hamilton noted that further production increases are tied to safety and quality benchmarks.
“If Boeing successfully convinces the FAA that indeed everything is stable and safe and quality is being met on the line at rate 42, then they get the authority to go to 47,” Hamilton said. “And in parallel to that now is the opening of the Everett line.”
The transition brings the 737 MAX production to a city with a long history of aircraft manufacturing, including the 787, 747, and 777 models.
Hamilton described the move as part of the company’s broader recovery efforts, stating, “Boeing is on the mend, its recovery path is indeed on the ascent.”
The North Line was originally intended to manufacture the 737 MAX 10. However, that specific aircraft model is currently awaiting federal certification.
Once the North line becomes operational, Boeing aims to increase production by five aircraft each month, with the ultimate target at 63 planes produced per month within several years.
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