Wall St. Journal: Boeing's Layers of Outsourcing Slow 787 Production
Dec 7, 2007, 8:10 am
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Wall St. Journal: Boeing's Layers of Outsourcing Slow 787 Production
From The Wall Street Journal:
JET BLUES
Boeing Scrambles to Repair Problems With New Plane
Layers of Outsourcing Slow 787 Production; 'Hostage to Suppliers'
By J. LYNN LUNSFORD
December 7, 2007; Page A1
EVERETT, Wash. -- On Tuesday, Boeing Co. will give Wall Street a progress report on its 787 Dreamliner, as it scrambles to overcome a six-month delay in producing the new jet. A look inside the project reveals that the mess stems from one of its main selling points to investors -- global outsourcing.
When the Chicago aerospace giant set out four years ago to build the fuel-sipping jet, it figured the chief risk lay in perfecting a process to build much of the plane from carbon-fiber plastic instead of aluminum. Boeing focused so hard on getting the science right that it didn't grasp the significance of another big change: The 787 is the first jet in Boeing's 91-year history designed largely by other companies.
To lower the $10 billion or so it would cost to develop the plane solo, Boeing authorized a team of parts suppliers to design and build major sections of the craft, which it planned to snap together at its Seattle-area factory. But outsourcing so much responsibility has turned out to be far more difficult than anticipated.
Balance of article is here, but may require subscription.
JET BLUES
Boeing Scrambles to Repair Problems With New Plane
Layers of Outsourcing Slow 787 Production; 'Hostage to Suppliers'
By J. LYNN LUNSFORD
December 7, 2007; Page A1
EVERETT, Wash. -- On Tuesday, Boeing Co. will give Wall Street a progress report on its 787 Dreamliner, as it scrambles to overcome a six-month delay in producing the new jet. A look inside the project reveals that the mess stems from one of its main selling points to investors -- global outsourcing.
When the Chicago aerospace giant set out four years ago to build the fuel-sipping jet, it figured the chief risk lay in perfecting a process to build much of the plane from carbon-fiber plastic instead of aluminum. Boeing focused so hard on getting the science right that it didn't grasp the significance of another big change: The 787 is the first jet in Boeing's 91-year history designed largely by other companies.
To lower the $10 billion or so it would cost to develop the plane solo, Boeing authorized a team of parts suppliers to design and build major sections of the craft, which it planned to snap together at its Seattle-area factory. But outsourcing so much responsibility has turned out to be far more difficult than anticipated.
Balance of article is here, but may require subscription.
