SPOKANE, Wa., 30 Nov. 2011. Washington state is buzzing with excitement over the announcement that Boeing officials intend to locate production of the new Boeing 737 MAX airplane in Renton, Wa. Spokane officials have sprung into action, vying and readying for potential aircraft manufacturing, component integration, and/or supply chain overflow, especially given the growing interest in the latest aircraft model from The Boeing Company.
“Boeing's decision to build the 737 MAX in Renton is great news for Washington State,” noted a Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) spokesperson at a press conference. GSI, airport, county, and city officials, as well as higher education representatives, announced work to identify and analyze sites in Spokane County that will be ideal for manufacturing, component integration, or supply chain network investments in order to grow the aerospace industry in the region. The team launched a project—called the Aerospace Initiative for Recruitment (AIR) Spokane—aimed at prepping the region for the possible expansion of local, national, or global aircraft suppliers.
"There was no Spokane bid for the manufacturing plant, but as the demand exceeds capacity in Renton, our region will be ready to support overflow," explained Rich Hadley, president and CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated. "Our region's 80-plus aerospace supply companies will benefit from this decision, and could see increases in business by between 30 percent and 50 percent based on 737MAX ramp-up schedules."
