Exclusive-Boeing is delaying suppliers’ 737 MAX production target by 6 months, Reuters sources say

By Allison Lampert

(Reuters) – Boeing (NYSE: ) Co has told suppliers it is delaying a key production milestone for the 737 MAX by six months, three industry sources said, in a sign the planemaker is scrambling to ramp up production of the best sold his plane.

The latest general schedule from Boeing 737 suppliers communicated to the industry calls for MAX production to reach 42 per month in March 2025, compared with the previous target of September 2024, the sources told Reuters.

Boeing has struggled to recover production of its single-aisle passenger plane due to additional safety and regulatory checks since a door panel dramatically flew off a 737 MAX plane mid-air in January.

While the so-called master schedule is a signal of demand, it is not an official production target. Boeing did not change its official plane production target of 38 MAX planes per month by the end of 2024, up from about 25 planes per month in July.

Asked about the overall schedule, a Boeing spokesman referred Reuters to second-quarter comments made by CFO Brian West in late July.

“In the main program, we continue to make adjustments as needed and manage vendor by vendor based on inventory levels,” West said. “Our goal remains to keep the supply chain on pace before final assembly to support stability.”

In an effort to align with Boeing’s lower production, supplier Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE: ) temporarily reduced its monthly production of fuselages for the 737 MAX to 21 a month from 31, reducing demand for parts from its own supply chain, a leading industry. the source told Reuters.

Spirit AeroSystems spokesman Joe Buccino said “we are making adjustments to delivery and production rates with our suppliers in accordance with our supplier agreements.”