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Boeing
has finalized an agreement to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries' interest in Global Aeronautica, LLC, a South Carolina fuselage
sub-assembly facility for Boeing's newest airplane, the 787 Dreamliner.
With the completion of this transaction, Global Aeronautica is now a 50-50 joint venture between
Boeing and Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica
- a Finmeccanica company.
Vought
will continue to produce the aft fuselage for the 787 at its facility adjacent to Global Aeronautica in North Charleston.
"As a partner in the Global Aeronautica joint venture with Alenia North America, Boeing looks forward to applying its proven lean
manufacturing expertise to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the facility's operations and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality
assemblies to our Everett, Washington facility," said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.
Global
Aeronautica was established in December 2004 as a joint venture between Alenia North America, a Finmeccanica company, and Vought
Aircraft Industries, based in Dallas.
Global
Aeronautica employs more than 300 people and is responsible for joining and integrating 787 fuselage sections from Alenia and
other structural partners. Along with joining the majority of the mid-body fuselage sections, the joint venture also installs and tests
associated systems and applies primer on the sections. Vought produces aft fuselage sections 47 and 48 in a new 342,000-square-foot
building and employs about 300 workers at its South Carolina plant.
Alenia builds the center fuselage sections 44 and 46 in its facilities and delivers these to the Global Aeronautica integration facility. Alenia
also manufactures the horizontal stabilizer of the 787 in its Foggia facility.
The first
flight of a 787 Dreamliner is currently scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2008.
The first delivery is scheduled for the third quarter 2009.
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