Fifteen years ago, on Nov. 20, 2009, history was made as Boeing broke ground a final assembly and delivery location for the 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, SC. The decision established North Charleston as only the third location in the world to produce and delivery widebody commercial airplanes.

The announcement was “confirmation that Boeing had confidence in our ability to build its airplanes in South Carolina,” said Robert Flynt, a teammate in Aftbody. Robert worked at Boeing Charleston (as the Aftbody facility was known then) at the time of the announcement in 2009 and remembers that the decision gave the team “a feeling of stability for our future.”

Establishing South Carolina as a 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery location helped expand Boeing’s production capability to meet customer demand for the airplane. The site was already performing fabrication, assembly and systems installation for the 787 aft fuselage sections, and joining and integrating 787 fuselage sections from structural partners.

“It’s hard to believe it’s already been 15 years since we broke ground,” said Scott Stocker, 787 vice president and general manager, and Boeing South Carolina site leader. “Boeing has invested more than $2.5 billion in South Carolina in that time, and we’re going to continue to invest in this team and site so we can meet customer demand for the 787. While these are challenging times for our company, customers love this airplane and demand for the 787 is high. It’s an opportunity to make the future ours in Boeing South Carolina.”

Being part of the South Carolina community for the last 15 years is important to Boeing. The company has invested more than $100 million with charitable organizations throughout South Carolina, with an emphasis on education, arts and culture, health and human service es, civic engagement, and the environment.

In addition, the DreamLearners program, which is an education outreach program for middle and high-school aged students, has engaged with more than one million students in South Carolina. BSC teammates also donate locally through the Employee’s Community Fund, giving more than $2.2 million to Charleston area organizations to date.

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On Dec. 12, 2024, the South Carolina Department of Commerce issued the following news release regarding the expansion of Boeing South Carolina:

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Boeing (NYSE:BA) today announced it plans to expand its operations in Charleston County. The company plans to invest $1 billion in infrastructure upgrades at its existing site and create 500 new jobs over the next five years.

For more than a decade, Boeing South Carolina (BSC) has been the home of the full 787 Dreamliner production cycle and fabricates, assembles, and delivers, the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 to customers globally. The company established operations in South Carolina in 2009 and currently employs more than 7,800 people across its Airport and North Campuses in North Charleston, and its West Campus in Orangeburg. Boeing acquired the operations in Orangeburg, located at 174 Millennium Drive, earlier this year, though those facilities will not be affected by the expansion plans.

Boeing will expand both of its North Charleston campuses, located at 5400 International Blvd. and 9775 Patriot Blvd., to support increased 787 Dreamliner production targets and potential future rate increases driven by market demand. The 787 Dreamliner program plans to increase to a rate of 10 airplanes per month by 2026.

Operations are expected to be online in early 2027. Individuals interested in joining the Boeing team should visit the company’s careers page.

QUOTES

FIVE FAST FACTS

• Boeing is expanding its operations in Charleston County.
• The company's $1 billion investment will create 500 new jobs.
• Boeing South Carolina is the home of the full 787 Dreamliner production cycle.
• The company is located at 5400 International Blvd. and 9775 Patriot Blvd. in North Charleston, S.C., and 174 Millennium Drive in Orangeburg, S.C.
• Individuals interested in joining the Boeing team should visit the company's careers page.

About S.C. Commerce

Welcome to South Carolina. The new headquarters of American innovation. As the state’s lead economic development agency, the South Carolina Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) works to recruit and support companies of all sizes in their quest to launch, expand and build a legacy. With proactive, strategic initiatives that help the agency create economic opportunities to increase choices for all South Carolinians, S.C. Commerce champions new and existing businesses and partnerships that fuel emerging and established industries alike. S.C. Commerce is the principal collaborator for SC NEXUS, a consortium of state leaders in government, utilities, higher education and other stakeholders exploring advanced energy. Recognized for its pro-business climate and policies that have attracted global brands and industry leaders, South Carolina is committed to maintaining the state’s long-term competitiveness while building a modern economy — one that is diverse, supporting businesses at every phase of their lifecycle – allowing people to live and work where they love. For more information, visit www.sccommerce.com.

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Dawn Boren is an IT&DA teammate at BSC who has authored several children’s books about the Gullah Geechee culture.

When Boeing South Carolina teammate Dawn Boren was growing up, an old Gullah Geechee proverb was often expressed in her household. It translates to “one must take care of the root to heal the tree.”

Boren is from Givhans, South Carolina, where she grew up in a Gullah Geechee family. Boren carries lessons like this and others from her childhood into her daily work at Boeing as a senior partner management specialist in Information Technology & Data Analytics (IT&DA) Strategy and Operations.

“I remember having one particular challenge that I was facing at work, and I recalled that saying,” Boren said. “I had to stop and identify the root of the problem, and use my Seek, Speak and Listen skills to engage my teammates.”

According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, the Gullah Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans along the southeastern coast. Their unique, English, African and Creole mixed language was – and still is – spoken in coastal communities from North Carolina to Florida. Organizations in those areas are working to preserve the rich history, art, music and food of the culture that shaped the growth of many coastal regions, including Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry.

Woven sweetgrass baskets are a popular art form of the Gullah Geechee culture. (Alexis Beniash photo)

Outside of her work at Boeing, Boren says she is also doing her part to capture and share the rich history of her culture with the public, specifically children. Boren has published a book series that showcases children experiencing some of the highlights of the Gullah Geechee culture, like sweetgrass basket weaving and Lowcountry cuisine.

“I’ve always wanted to write. Even when I was a child, I did a lot of poetry,” Boren said. “I thought about my kids, and I started writing about the culture and how important it was to me.”

Children’s books authored by Boren. (Bubble Photography photo)

One of her characters is the “Candy Lady,” who Boren explains was like a mother to all the children in the community. She sold sweets like “Chilly Bear” out of her home, which are popular frozen treats that are especially delectable during the hot, humid summers in the Lowcountry. Another book showcases young Gullah Geechee boys who sell “Palmetto Roses” made out of palm fronds, and another features the traditional “crab crack.”

Boren’s ancestors were quilt makers and sweetgrass basket weavers, both traditional Gullah Geechee art forms. Though Boren never mastered those creative skills, she credits both the past generations as well as future generations of Gullah Geechee descendants for the inspiration and motivation to author her books.

“I wanted my kids to understand where they came from and how they got here. It’s really easy to lose yourself if you do not know your roots,” Boren said. “You can’t know who you are if you don’t know where you’re from.”

“I wanted my kids to understand where they came from and how they got here. It’s really easy to lose yourself if you do not know your roots,” Boren said. “You can’t know who you are if you don’t know where you’re from.”

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Teammates on second and third shift should NOT come into work today, Aug. 30. First-shift teammates should finish their shift as normal today. We plan to resume normal operations beginning 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.

The timing of the temporary site shutdown is based on the latest weather projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which show high winds are expected to begin late this afternoon. We will keep assessing weather conditions and adjust if needed, and we will communicate to you as early as possible if there are any changes.

For updates, please check internal email, visit www.boeing.com/emergency or call the emergency hotline at 1-800-899-6431.

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To the untrained eye, it may look like these Boeing Research & Technology Materials, Process and Physics engineers are handling jars of water. But the testing vessels really contain jet reference fluids (JRFs) that mimic the broadest envelope of the chemistry and behavior of SAF.

Roland Stone and Bart Stevens, two BR&T engineers who are a part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Compatibility Integrated Product Team, pour a sustainable aviation fuel jet reference fluid into a test vessel. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

Samples of finishes, like paints and coatings used on current commercial airplanes soak in the JRFs with the goal to understand how SAF interacts with different parts of the airplane. The experts anticipate their research could also lead to findings that influence which paints or coatings are used in the future and test finishes that may appear on Boeing’s next generation of products.

Why it matters: “We are working to develop the next generation of materials, trying to get away from those that are hazardous to human health and the environment, like finding a non-chrome version of our fuel tank primer,” said Stone. “The data we are generating will provide that confidence of a new material that we would hopefully implement one day as an alternative.”

Roland Stone removes test panels from the SAF test fluids following an immersion in a hot water bath. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

Testing their way to 100: Supporting the industry’s 2050 net zero emissions goal, SAF can reduce carbon emissions up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle, and Boeing has committed all of its commercial airplanes will be compatible with 100% SAF by 2030.

Making sure its airplanes are 100% SAF compatible requires testing, and lots of it. Up for the challenge is a cross-functional SAF Compatibility Integrated Product Team (IPT) of 90-plus engineers anchored by the Sustainability and Technology team in Product Development.

Believing in the mission: For many involved in the project, the implications are personal.

“I am excited to go to work every day to contribute to this project.. The people I work with believe in the vision of a better world and are working together to make it happen,” said David Sims, an engineer leading several of the IPT’s materials groups.

From left, Roland Stone, Jessica Savage, David Sims and Bart Stevens take a look at the test panels after they’ve cooled following time in an oven for exposure to high temperatures. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

“I love traveling, and, at the same time, I see a world that needs to prioritize how we are using our resources,” said Jessica Savage, a materials integration engineer. “Not having aviation isn’t an option. But how do we do aviation the right way and build a world where you can fly, connect with other people, see other cultures and appreciate the things people do without harming the environment matters a great deal.”

Charting a flight path: Much of what the team is doing is novel, from test methods to the jet reference fluids they are using, with a range of fuel chemistries to simulate any SAF the industry could see in 2030 and beyond.

Additionally, the overall project is moving at considerable speed as the team collaborates with others around the globe, including Boeing’s suppliers, with a goal to complete testing of seven different material families by the end of 2024. That includes sealants, finishes, metals, elastomers, thermosets, thermoplastics and electrical wiring components.

“We want to move at pace with technical excellence, and that means we’re leveraging our global capabilities to hit our targets and generate these data packages to give us a better understanding of these materials,” Sims said. “The pace at which we are moving is exciting. Everyone is so bought in. It’s hard to believe what’s already been accomplished.”

Since February 2022, the team developed a roadmap to 2030 SAF compatibility, has built seven test plans, connected with Tier 1 suppliers and is actively coordinating with them to make sure their materials are compatible as well.

“The most incredible part is how we’ve all been working together. The working environment we’ve created is such a safe space for debate. The freedom to share your opinions is really valuable to the work we are doing,” Sims said.

By Kaitlin Stansell

The post Future turns ‘clear’ for Boeing’s path to sustainable skies appeared first on Boeing South Carolina.

“Leaving the military is a big deal,” Redmond said. “There are a lot of guarantees while under contract in the military.”

Veterans can often feel a lot of pressure when facing the decision to leave military service, he explained. The pressure can come from uncertainty about how veterans’ military-related skills and experience will translate, as well as the cultures of the companies they join.

Redmond had help finding the right fit — including strong encouragement from his neighbor who worked for Boeing. As a part of SkillBridge, the U.S. Department of Defense partnership internship program with professional industries, he was able to see the quality of people working at Boeing and how he fit.

“I knew I wanted to work here from the day I started my internship,” he said. “The smiles are contagious, and I truly love the workplace environment at Boeing South Carolina”

Through SkillBridge, Boeing supports transitioning service members like Redmond with training, development and employment opportunities that align with the critical skills gained through their time in the military — which are also invaluable to Boeing’s success.

During his military service, Redmond developed critical skills in Quality working as a Naval nuclear mechanic, inspector and planner. This experience forged a clear path for success at Boeing.

“While subs are underwater as opposed to in the air like planes, the responsibility for quality and safety is the same,” Redmond said. “I want to ensure I do everything I can to get people onboard home safely.”

Redmond started as a Quality Engineer supporting multiple Factory Support Collaboration Centers, but his goals go beyond just being a part of the Boeing team. He intends to take advantage of every opportunity to grow his career. In May, he was selected to be the temporary manager for a six-month position on an Employee Development and Growth Enhancement (EDGE) team in Aftbody.

Redmond (far right) with members of the EDGE Engineering Rotation team. (Boeing photo)

EDGE’s Engineering Rotation Program provides hands-on experience to teammates working within the Engineering Community to learn applicable processes and identify process improvements. This team is represented by design engineering, manufacturing engineering, Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T) and quality engineering.

Plans are underway to increase SkillBridge participation at Boeing South Carolina and across the company. Transitioning service members can participate in this program with up to 180 days left in their service contract and can register for the Boeing Career SkillBridge Program.

Go deeper:

• Register for the Boeing Career SkillBridge Program
• More on SkillBridge
• boeing.com/veterans

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“Growing up I was fascinated by the movies because of how detailed the galaxy is. Droids in particular were so fun and an interesting addition to it all. Star Wars took a bunch of mechanical parts and gave them personalities. Then, one day I realized I had the ability to figure out how to make my own,” Khalil said. “I have been able to take the basics I have learned in 3D modeling and 3D printing through these passion projects and amplify them through learning the tooling process and designing with relational modeling.”

Khalil’s portfolio includes a life-size droid named “Clink” from
the series called Star Wars: The Bad Batch. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

Her passion projects started with the iconic R2-D2. But her most intricate design to date, a 3D-printed droid named “Clink,” has allowed her to showcase her technical skills and even explore how to bring her droids to life through motion.

“I have endless excitement for the ability to have an idea in my head and then just make it a part of my reality,” Khalil said. “Passion is a special type of magic when learning.”

She’s been able to bring that same passion to her professional role as well, finding a perfect fit within the tooling side of engineering. During a college networking event, she met her future manager who helped her realize how her affinity for 3D-printing Star Wars droids could translate to a career in aerospace beyond just the cosmic similarities.

“I showed Heath Olinger, the senior manager for 787 Production Engineering, my portfolio full of some passion projects that showed off my technical skills. After seeing my passion for 3D modeling and 3D printing, he shared that I would probably love tooling — spoiler, he was right,” Khalil said. “I started my time at BSC with the Early Career Experience (ECE) program where I got the opportunity to rotate through four teams over the course of two years, learn how we operate and find a role that I would enjoy. To no one’s surprise, I found my place in tooling.”

Khalil collaborates across various functions with teammates like Adekunle Samuel, a manufacturing engineer at BSC, to support tooling needs using 3D printing.
(Kaitlin Stansell photo)

Khalil’s daily work includes supporting production with tools for the 787 Aftbody assembly and integration. Her responsibility can range from creating brand-new tools to working emergent events on existing tools.

“My favorite part of the tooling process is the 3D modeling and getting the opportunity to manufacture via 3D printing. Also, it involves a lot of team collaboration with the Innovation Cell, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business Operations and mechanics,” Khalil said.

She believes the force of 3D printing can allow anyone to create practical solutions, solve complex problems, and unleash their creativity like “Jedi” masters. From fixing equipment to crafting intricate models, the possibilities — as Khalil sees them — are as vast as the galaxy itself.

Khalil peers into a 3D printer in the Innovation Cell located in the 787 Aftbody facility.
(Kaitlin Stansell photo)

By Kaitlin Stansell

The post Engineer finds her force for innovation appeared first on Boeing South Carolina.

Resembling an elephant with its size and shade of gray, the military aircraft slowly rolled along the taxiway.

The Boeing C-17 T-1 takes off on a test flight in Long Beach, California, during the early 1990s. (Boeing)

Onlookers watched with anticipation as the four engines roared to full power. With more than 160,000 pounds (712,000 Newtons) of thrust, and almost as wide as it is long, the C-17 Globemaster III catapulted down the runway.

As its nose turned up, the notable winglets came into view, the tail designated with 9192 (P-6). The crowd cheered as the first C-17 made its way to military service.

It was June 14, 1993, at the airport in Long Beach, California, when Allen watched the takeoff of that first C-17 delivery flight.

One could say the rest is history. But that’s not where the C-17 story ends.

Four of multiple C-17s make their way down the production line in Long Beach, California. (Boeing photo)

For 30 years, the C-17 has continued making history as a flexible cargo aircraft for its nine global customers.

Allen, a C-17 Field Engineering and Technical Support manager for Boeing, has been along for the ride since that day in 1993.

Recently painted, C-17 3291 awaits the final steps in production at Boeing’s Long Beach facility. (Boeing photo)

“To be there and see the first delivery take off brought great pride,” said Allen. “As the entire team cheered, we knew our efforts pointed towards support and sustainment of the C-17.”

Allen notes the customer purchased a full logistics package as part of the original contract. Meaning, Boeing would perform critical sustainment activities, including engineering, field support and material management.

Part of Boeing’s obligation included providing support equipment 30 days prior to the first aircraft delivery.

The last C-17 for the U.S. Air Force lands at Joint Base Charleston. (Boeing photo)

“Ensuring test program sets and automated stations were delivered and operational on time 30 days prior to the first aircraft was a unique challenge as it was the first time this had been done,” said Allen.

Allen was hooked. He accepted a contract at Joint Base Charleston (JBC) to provide engineering support, and after a cross-country move from California to South Carolina, was reunited with P-6.

Walter Allen, a Boeing engineer at Joint Base Charleston, witnessed the first delivery takeoff for the C-17 and has remained with the program he loves for more than 30 years. (Boeing photo)

From the beginning, Allen states the program’s goal was to ensure the sustainment of the aircraft while training the customer and providing on-site support. Boeing teammates working on C-17 became such a common site at JBC that the customer opted for a formal on-site Boeing personnel contract.

With the routine turnover of the U.S. Air Force, Allen mentions the Boeing team was seen as a resource for their institutional knowledge of the platform. This approach of providing on-site support and over-the-shoulder training is still used today.

“The C-17 is a tremendous product and one would not believe what we have accomplished with this aircraft,” said Allen. “Our ‘secret sauce’ is really our determination to provide the best in customer service.”

Aerial view of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during a readiness exercise at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. Boeing provides onsite support for operations, field services and technical support for the aircraft. (Boeing photo)

Over the past 30 years, the C-17 has conducted multiple combat and humanitarian relief mission, most notably the 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan. This past January, the U.S. Air Force set a record for launching the most C-17s from a single base during a readiness exercise.

To be customers’ first choice, Global Services is fostering a Service Champion Culture. By nurturing empowered, agile and innovative global teams, we’ll remain a reliable, solutions-oriented service provider. Read more.

By Barry Edwards

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The concept of the tool, known as the threshold trim installer, is simple, but it’s helped make the build process ergonomically safer while improving first-pass quality.

Emily Travis (left), a Tooling engineer at the IRCSC, collaborated with production teammates like James Brown to design a threshold trim installer that makes the bin bucket build process easier and ergonomically safer. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

Before its use in the build process, teammates had shared their experiences with discomfort and fatigue as they pressed the trim into place by hand on every bin bucket.

“After assembling dozens of bin buckets each day, your thumbs would ache, and sometimes the trim would still have some waviness to it that you’d have to work out because it was difficult to get it flush with the part using your hands,” said Jeff Sheldon, the team lead for the bin bucket assembly at the IRCSC. “Now with the tool, the trim goes on right away; it’s ergonomically better and produces a higher quality finish every time.”

Travis recognized this as an opportunity to use her mechanical engineering background and 3D-printing expertise to make the build process ergonomically safer and easier.

“I devised a device concept that pivots to press the threshold trim into place using a handle to provide leverage,” Travis said. “I modeled and then 3D printed a prototype to try out the concept.”

But her first version of the tool didn’t go far enough.

“Although the general solution worked, the team wanted to be able to apply pressure across more of the threshold trim at once in order to save time,” Travis said. “After receiving their feedback, I made the device wider, and that’s the design they are using today.”

The threshold trim installer, inspired by production teammates at the IRCSC and designed by Travis, was 3D printed. (Kaitlin Stansell photo)

She says the collaboration between herself and the production team has been really rewarding.

“Coordinating with the team that will fabricate the solution as well as the people who will ultimately be using the final product is where collaboration really pays off,” Travis said. “Innovation doesn’t have to be complicated! In fact, the simpler the solution the better since that usually means the innovation will be more reliable and easier to use.”

Travis is just one of many teammates at Boeing South Carolina (BSC) contributing to a culture of innovation that is continuously improving products and the way they’re built.

Since 2009, more than 1,250 BSC teammates have received U.S. patent grants for nearly 800 unique inventions or processes. In 2022, BSC continued to lead the enterprise in invention disclosures per capita.

By Kaitlin Stansell

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