Boeing expands UK footprint following Spirit AeroSystems acquisition

Image courtesy Boeing
 
Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, Spirit AeroSystems operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, have transferred to Boeing and the site will operate as an independent subsidiary, Short Brothers, a Boeing Company. The team in Belfast will report directly into Boeing Global Services, with support from UK leadership.
 
“We welcome the Short Brothers family to Boeing and look forward to leveraging the team’s outstanding aerospace capabilities, further strengthening the value we bring to our customers around the world,” said Kim Smith, Senior Vice President of Boeing Global Services Quality, Operations and Execution.  

Short Brothers undertakes business-jet manufacturing programmes for a number of aerospace manufacturers, including the production of fuselage sections, engine nacelles, horizontal stabilisers and other flight components. It also has a significant aftermarket business, drawing on its unique OEM and engineering expertise and growing space and defence activities. Its R&D team has a proven track record in developing, implementing and certifying innovative advanced materials and manufacturing technologies.  

Sir Jeremy Quin, President, Boeing UK & Ireland said: “The site’s rich history and legacy, in addition to its highly skilled workforce, is a strong addition to our operations in Northern Ireland where we already have robust supply chain and strategic academic partnerships.

“Boeing’s expansion of its UK footprint in Northern Ireland is a significant milestone for Short Brothers, our aerospace sector and the local economy,” said Ciara Kennedy, Vice President & General Manager, Short Brothers. “Our heritage is built on years of innovation and resilience and joining Boeing is a huge opportunity for us to further adapt and grow with the support of a global leader.”  

Through the acquisition a team at Spirit AeroSystems’ Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland, is also being integrated into Boeing. The team will align with Boeing Technology Innovation and continue their essential R&D work advancing new technologies. 

Approximately 60 employees from the AIC and 2,400 Short Brothers employees join Boeing’s existing UK workforce, bringing the total to nearly 6,000 people.  

With more than 30 sites covering commercial, defence and services operations, the UK is Boeing’s largest supply chain base outside the US, with more than £15 billion spent across a network of over 970 domestic suppliers since 2015. 

Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defence products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries, leveraging the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunities, sustainability and community impact.