Where Does Boeing Build Its Airplanes?

The Boeing Company has been around for over a century, and throughout its existence, it has been known for multiple things. In addition to being a defense manufacturer and a collaborator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — producing the recently controversial and costly Boeing Starliner spacecraft — it has become one of the foremost names in commercial air travel. Over the years, the public has soared in Boeing passenger jets good and not so good alike for everything from business meetings to vacations. All the while, most have had no idea where exactly the plane they've ridden was built.

As it turns out, Boeing's commercial planes are made in a few locations throughout the United States. First is the Everett, Washington, site, which is said to host one of the largest manufacturing buildings in the world and is responsible for the Boeing 747, 767, 777, and 787. It opened its doors in May 1967 and is still going strong all these years later. Then there's the Renton, Washington, plant, where 737s are produced primarily alongside a handful of other commercial liners. Boeing also has a 787 assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Three sizable facilities is quite impressive from an assembly standpoint, though Boeing's manufacturing system is even more massive.

The construction of a single airplane is quite a tall order, let alone an entire fleet of them. Boeing's models are comprised of millions of parts of varying size, material, and purpose, hence why the Everett, Renton, and North Charleston facilities are so large. What's equally noteworthy is the manufacturing power behind these assembly plants and the planes they're tasked with constructing. It takes numerous manufacturers from around the globe to make Boeing's line of commercial planes a reality.

Looking at the Boeing 787 (also known as the Dreamliner) for example, elements of it are made all over the place. The wingtips are manufactured in Busan, South Korea, the landing gear hails from Gloucester in the U.K., and the horizontal stabilizers come from Foggia, Italy. The U.S.-based General Electric and Pratt & Whitney also supply Boeing's engines. Thus, Boeing has quite an extensive list of suppliers who all bring something unique to the table. Among those who contribute to the manufacturing and innovation of Boeing's output are Evergreen Aviation Technologies, Solvay, and Geocontrol Systems Inc., to name a few.

From conceptualization to manufacturing to construction to regular use, there are a lot of moving parts and skilled people behind airplane creation. It's no surprise that a company as large and far-reaching as Boeing has enlisted tons of folks from all over the world at several manufacturing and assembly locations to make its fleet happen. While not all of its products became industry trend-setters, hard-working engineers, machine operators, designers, and more have been responsible for some of the best jets Boeing has ever made.