‘We’re in limbo’: Boeing takeover leaves longtime Belfast factory under threat

Much has changed in Belfast since the 1930s. Yet through the second world war, decades of Troubles and the steep decline of heavy industry, the Short Brothers factory has continued to make planes and parts. Yet now a takeover by US planemaker Boeing of the factory’s owner, Spirit AeroSystems, has raised questions over its future. Workers and politicians fear a new ownership structure could lead to steep job cuts at one of Northern Ireland’s main manufacturers, which has about 3,500 employees. Boeing announced the $4.7bn takeover of Spirit on Monday, as it tries to regain control of parts of its supply chain after safety failures. However, Spirit is also a key supplier to its bitter rival Airbus as it makes wings and fuselage for the small A220 passenger jet. There was little prospect of Boeing supplying its European competitor, so Spirit will hand Airbus its factories in Belfast, France, Morocco and in Kansas and North Carolina in the US. Alan Perry, senior organiser at the GMB union, which represents workers at the plant, says about 40% of the factory’s revenue comes from making parts for Airbus. (The remainder is from companies such as Bombardier, Rolls-Royce and Honda Aircraft.) “The genuine fear is over the other 60%,” he says. “We’re very much still in limbo. Even if Airbus remains on site, we’re looking at the break-up of the factory.”<br/>