Boeing suppliers will continue producing parts for the company’s maligned 737 Max despite a recent manufacturing issue halting delivery of the narrow-body aircraft, company CEO Dave Calhoun said Tuesday.
Last week, Boeing indicated that near-term deliveries of the jet would slow as the company repairs a new manufacturing problem involving the Spirit AeroSystems fuselage.
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During Boeing’s annual meeting, Calhoun said the company is comfortable holding buffer stock as its production heats up to support an increase in jet production from its current rate of 31 Max planes per month.
To date, Boeing is slated to deliver 38 jets by June before subsequently increasing monthly production to 42 planes by January 2024, 47 jets by June next year and 52 a month by January 2025, a rate Boeing has not held since 2019, when the company decreased output after two fatal Max crashes.
Despite the delivery pause, shares for Boeing are up Tuesday after rising roughly 1.37% the last month and almost 9% since Jan. 1.
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Reuters contributed to this report.