Boeing Co. may double orders for fuselage sections for its 787 jetliner as demand for the new plane exceeds initial production plans.
Boeing met with its top suppliers this week to discuss boosting production, company spokeswoman Yvonne Leach said Friday.
Boeing asked Italy's Finmeccanica SPA in January to increase its monthly output of fuselages to 10 from seven, with a potential rate of 14, Finmeccanica chief executive Pier Francesco Guarguaglini said this week.
Doubling 787 production might mean an extra $12.6 billion in annual revenue for Boeing, based on top list prices for the plane. Boeing is counting on the 787 Dreamliner to regain dominance of the $60 billion-a-year commercial jet market from European rival Airbus SAS.
Boeing has 291 firm orders from 23 customers as airlines rush to replace aging planes with fuel-efficient models.
"The 787 is doing extremely well, certainly from an order point of view," said Paul Nisbet, an analyst with JSA Research. He estimates that Boeing is investing about $10 billion in the plane.
Boeing will decide by summer how much to increase 787 production, Leach said. The first plane is scheduled to be delivered in 2008.
Wichita Eagle
Boeing met with its top suppliers this week to discuss boosting production, company spokeswoman Yvonne Leach said Friday.
Boeing asked Italy's Finmeccanica SPA in January to increase its monthly output of fuselages to 10 from seven, with a potential rate of 14, Finmeccanica chief executive Pier Francesco Guarguaglini said this week.
Doubling 787 production might mean an extra $12.6 billion in annual revenue for Boeing, based on top list prices for the plane. Boeing is counting on the 787 Dreamliner to regain dominance of the $60 billion-a-year commercial jet market from European rival Airbus SAS.
Boeing has 291 firm orders from 23 customers as airlines rush to replace aging planes with fuel-efficient models.
"The 787 is doing extremely well, certainly from an order point of view," said Paul Nisbet, an analyst with JSA Research. He estimates that Boeing is investing about $10 billion in the plane.
Boeing will decide by summer how much to increase 787 production, Leach said. The first plane is scheduled to be delivered in 2008.
Wichita Eagle
