Boeing refurbished 737 paint hangar opens to meet rate increase

Boeing has opened a new paint hangar near its Renton, Wash., facility that will help increase its Next-Generation 737 production capacity. The 737 program currently produces 31.5 airplanes per month and expects to go to 35 per month in early 2012, 38 per month in Q2 of 2013 and then to 42 per month in the first half of 2014. One of the first airplanes to be painted in the facility, a 737-700 for Southwest Airlines (LUV), was recently completed. Paint crews began work in the facility at the beginning of this month and now have incorporated the facility into the 737 production system. The state-of-the-art facility was refurbished in collaboration with the city of Renton. Boeing expects that the market for single-aisle aircraft will continue to grow over the next decade and beyond. With that outlook, the 737 program is taking several steps to ensure enough capacity to meet market demand. :theflyonthewall.com