LOC20:56
17:56 GMT
WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- The aviation conglomerate announced on Monday acquisition of the Sprit AeroSystems, saying the deal underscores commitment to aviation safety and airplane quality while strengthening commercial production and supply chain stability.
"This is a pivotal moment in Boeing's history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations and establish Spirit Defense," said Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company.
"As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry," he said in a statement.
Boeing's acquisition includes all of Spirit's Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. It also includes commercially procured fuselages for the P-8 and KC-46.
The transaction also brings Boeing's largest supplier of spare parts in house, expands Boeing's global maintenance, repair and overhaul services footprint and adds to Boeing's rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio with Spirit's aftermarket businesses.
Spirit Defense will continue to support its customers as an independent supplier to the defense industry to ensure uninterrupted support for its customers. It will act as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, aligning for financial reporting and select enterprise functional and site support, but maintaining independent governance and operations.
In addition, portions of Spirit AeroSystems' operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, have been acquired by Boeing, and the Belfast site will operate as an independent subsidiary branded as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company.
Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations in Wichita, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick, Scotland, will begin to integrate into Boeing. Approximately 15,000 teammates across the five sites are becoming a part of Boeing.
"Kansas' aviation expertise reaches far beyond our borders," said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. "We help manufacture the aircraft the world relies on. Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems underscores the global significance of the work happening in our state and positions Kansas to continue shaping the future of aerospace innovation for decades to come." (end)
rsr.rk