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Boeing is temporarily transferring "several hundred" assembly workers from the 767 line to the adjacent 747 line as part of an effort to stave off impending delivery delays, which may result in the late handover of at least one of each model this year.
The temporary transfer, expected to last around 20 days, forms the prelude to a "strategic plan" which Boeing is drawing up to head off a potential delivery crisis. The company stresses that quality control, which suffered during a similar hold-up with the inauguration of the 747-400 in the late 1980s, remains the top priority. "That's why we are risking late deliveries, to make sure that quality control is not affected," says Boeing.
While details of the plan remain sketchy, Boeing says that it is "exploring options" which would permit it to bring in additional resources, training and adjustment of internal work schedules, as well as "other options that will help streamline production".
The supply of subassemblies, parts and equipment, which has been partly blamed for the situation, is expected to be the focus for much of the remedial work. The development of "just-in-time" principles is expected to be applied to both other parts of Boeing which supply parts as well as to outside vendors. Training is another area where Boeing is expected to concentrate its efforts. The company says that part of the current situation has arisen because of the "steep learning curve" required of its many recently recruited workers. Skilled employees from the newly acquired Douglas Products division in Long Beach, California, are widely expected to figure in the strategic plan, although it is not clear if the extensive former Douglas Aircraft assembly site will play a significant role.
Boeing believes that the new plan should ensure on-time delivery of all 50 767 aircraft and 58 747-400s scheduled for handover in 1998. One of the 46 747 deliveries due in 1997 may slip into 1998, as could one of the 43 767s due to be handed over this year, warns the company.
As part of a larger, company-wide strategy to reduce Boeing's vulnerability to the rising world price of titanium, Boeing has signed a supplier deal with Denver-based Titanium Metals (TIMET) to provide a long-term supply beginning in 1998. Boeing makes use of just under 6,000t of the metal every year.
Source: Flight International
