Boeing Builds Momentum at South Carolina 787 Dreamliner Plant

Boeing is steadily rebuilding momentum at its 787 Dreamliner production site in South Carolina, stabilizing output and improving quality while moving ahead with a major capacity expansion. The progress marks an important step in the manufacturer’s broader effort to recover from years of production disruptions and restore confidence in its commercial aircraft programs.

Speaking during an earnings call, Boeing president and chief executive Kelly Ortberg said the company is currently producing eight Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets per month at the North Charleston facility, up from five a year ago. The company plans to raise that figure to 10 aircraft per month over the next year, with further increases tied to the completion of a second final assembly building now under construction.

The new assembly facility, part of a $1 billion investment at the South Carolina campus, is expected to be completed in 2027 and will add around 1,000 jobs to the site’s workforce, which already exceeds 8,200 employees. Ortberg said the expansion will enable Boeing to scale production beyond current limits while maintaining tighter operational controls.

In parallel with higher output, Boeing has been focusing on quality improvements at the Dreamliner plant. Ortberg noted that average rework hours, which measure the time required to fix manufacturing issues after final assembly, were reduced by nearly 30% in 2025. Rework has long been a challenge for the 787 program, affecting both delivery schedules and profitability.

Boeing delivered 88 Dreamliners from the South Carolina plant last year, and chief financial officer Jay Malave said the company expects to deliver between 90 and 100 of the widebody jets in the current year. Across all commercial programs, Boeing anticipates deliveries to rise by close to 10% as production stability improves.

The production update came alongside stronger-than-expected financial results. Boeing reported fourth-quarter revenue of $23.9 billion, a 57% increase year over year, while earnings were boosted by the sale of its Digital Aviation Solutions business. Excluding that transaction, the company would still have posted a loss, underscoring that its recovery remains a work in progress.

Demand for widebody aircraft remains strong. Boeing’s latest commercial market outlook projects global airlines will require more than 7,800 widebody jets over the next two decades to support growth and replace aging fleets. Boeing currently holds a backlog of 1,026 Dreamliners within its total order book of 6,130 aircraft.

As Boeing works to restore production credibility, the South Carolina Dreamliner plant is emerging as a central pillar of the company’s turnaround strategy, combining higher output targets with a renewed emphasis on manufacturing discipline.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com