The Boeing Co. (Chicago, Ill., USA) announced that it will increase production on the 737 program to 52 airplanes per month in 2018 in response to strong market demand from customers worldwide. Once the increase is implemented, the 737 program is expected to build more than 620 airplanes per year, the highest rate ever for the world's best-selling commercial airplane.
Boeing currently produces 42 airplanes per month at its Renton, Wash., factory, and the company previously announced plans to increase the production rate to 47 airplanes per month in 2017.
Boeing's Current Market Outlook long-term forecast of air traffic volumes and commercial airplane demand projects a need for more than 25,000 single-aisle airplanes over the next 20 years, worth $2.56 trillion total market value.
"For over a decade we have seen resilient demand for the 737 and a rate increase to 52 per month reflects the appetite for airplanes like the 737 MAX and Next-Generation 737," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Our thorough analysis tells us the single-aisle market continues to expand and is the fastest growing, most dynamic segment of the market."
Boeing's highly efficient and reliable 737 family is the proven market leader. To date, 266 customers worldwide have placed more than 12,100 orders for the single-aisle airplane – including more than 6,800 orders for the Next-Generation 737 and more than 2,200 orders for the 737 MAX. Boeing currently has more than 4,000 unfilled orders across the 737 family.