Boeing breaks ground on $1B South Carolina expansion

Boeing has launched a major expansion at its South Carolina facility to increase 787 Dreamliner production to ten aircraft per month by 2026, with construction beginning on a new 1.2 million square foot final assembly hall.

Boeing breaks ground on a major expansion of its South Carolina operations to ramp up 787 Dreamliner production to ten aircraft per month by 2026.

The investment of over $1 billion includes a new 1.2 million square foot final assembly hall and is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs over the next five years.

A total of 2,500 construction workers are expected to log more than 6.2 million hours on the project.

Demand surging

The expansion comes at a time when demand for the 787 family is surging. With more than 2,250 orders from 90 customers, the Dreamliner remains the world’s best-selling widebody aircraft. Boeing still has a backlog of nearly 1,000 aircraft, including over 300 new orders this year.

“We continue to see strong demand for the 787. This investment ensures we’re ready to meet our customers’ needs for decades to come,” says Stephanie Pope, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Boeing established its South Carolina operations in 2009. The site currently employs more than 8,200 workers producing the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.