Boeing executive says supplier Spirit Aero has a substantial inventory of 737 fuselages

Boeing's key supplier Spirit AeroSystems has a substantial inventory of 737 fuselages that are ready to ship, an executive with the planemaker told a Seattle aerospace conference on Tuesday. The planemaker is working to grow production of its 737 MAX jet to at least 38 a month this year after drastically curbing output in 2024 following quality concerns after a mid-air panel blowout on a near-new model. Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior VP for global supply chain and fabrication, told the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) supplier conference that the quality of the Spirit Aero-produced fuselage has significantly improved. Boeing is aiming to improve quality by minimizing the transfer of work from one supplier to another within its vast supply chain, a shift that Mounir said is the leading cause of quality defects. Boeing is in the process of buying financially-strapped Spirit Aero even as the planemaker tries to revive its battered supply chain after a weeks-long strike last year by its Northwest factory workers halted most jet output. Wichita-based Spirit Aero has increased fuselage production from a rate of 21 a month to 31 a month, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Spirit Aero spokesperson Joe Buccino said the company "remains committed to meeting our customer's production targets."<br/>