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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Boeing Begins Construction On Its St. Louis, Missouri, Composite Center

12/17/2014
Boeing started construction on the company’s new composite center in St. Louis, Missouri, to house parts work for the 777X, Boeing’s next-generation commercial aircraft.

In October, Boeing announced plans to expand its current composite facility and create up to 700 jobs in St. Louis to produce parts for the 777X, work that is currently being done by contractors or performed overseas. The facility is slated to be completed in 2016, with work on the 777X wing and empennage parts starting in 2017. Construction of the 367,000-square-foot expanded facility will also provide up to 250 full-time construction jobs.

The expanded composites facility marks the first time Boeing has brought commercial aircraft production work to St. Louis. Boeing’s St. Louis campus has traditionally manufactured military, rather than commercial, aircraft. As a result, parts production for the 777X will not only create jobs and investment, it will also diversify Boeing’s St. Louis campus and better position Missouri to compete for additional defense and commercial projects in the future, local officials said.

“As we move forward with construction of our new center, we will significantly enhance our aerospace composite capability in St. Louis, positioning us for today’s opportunities, and tomorrow’s,” said Bob Ciesla, Vice President, Boeing Military Aircraft Cross-Enterprise Design/Build. “This is a tremendous opportunity for Boeing St. Louis and the entire region, which enables us to bridge to the future as a site with both commercial and defense capabilities.”

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Boeing St. Louis, its workers, and our state’s proud legacy in aerospace design and manufacturing,” said Governor Jay Nixon. “By bringing commercial aviation work to St. Louis for the first time in Boeing’s history, this project will put this region on the vanguard of next-generation of commercial aviation manufacturing, strengthen Missouri’s ability to compete for additional projects in the future, and yield economic benefits for this region for many years to come.”

Over the past 20 months Boeing has announced plans to bring up to 2,000 new jobs to Missouri. In addition to creating up to 700 jobs for the 777X work, last year Boeing announced the creation of an information technology center, resulting in at least 400 new information technology jobs, the Governor’s Office noted. Boeing also announced that it would bring up to 400 research and technology jobs to St. Louis. This October, Boeing revealed plans to bring an additional 500 jobs to St. Louis for service and support of the F-22 Raptor aircraft.

Home to Boeing Defense, Space & Security division, St. Louis County campus produces military aircraft and weapons systems, employs about 15,000 workers in the area, and is supported by more than 600 suppliers and vendors throughout the state.

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