Boeing will establish technology research centers in Alabama, California, Missouri, South Carolina and Washington.
The company will restructure its Boeing Research & Technology organization, the company’s central research-and-development unit, through the establishment of research centers in Huntsville, Ala.; Southern California; St. Louis; North Charleston, S.C.; and Seattle.
The new centers will operate independently but cooperatively with one another and with Boeing technology centers in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Spain and Russia. The international centers conduct research to benefit the environment, aviation safety, air traffic management and other areas.
The centers will be staffed gradually over the next two years, a Boeing spokesman told Air Cargo World. Boeing’s goal is to have them fully functioning by the end of 2015.
“We are reorganizing and realigning our research-and-technology operations to better meet the needs of our Commercial Airplanes and Defense, Space & Security business units, as well as our government R&D customers,” Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Research & Technology, said. “Our customers have a common need for new technology that can be integrated quickly and efficiently into current products and production lines, as well as enable new market-leading products and services. With these changes, we are enhancing our ability to provide effective, efficient and innovative technology solutions.”
The new research centers will consolidate technology development of strategic importance to Boeing over the long-term, up to 30 years into the future.
The new locations and centers are:
- Huntsville, Ala.: Simulation and Decision Analytics; Metals and Chemical Technology
- Southern California: Flight Sciences; Electronics and Networked Systems; Structures
- St. Louis: Systems Technology; Digital Aviation and Support Technology; Metallics and Fabrication Development
- North Charleston, S.C.: Manufacturing Technology
- Seattle: Manufacturing Technology Integration
As the centers are established, BR&T employee totals are expected to grow between 300-400 each in Alabama, Missouri and South Carolina. BR&T jobs in Washington are expected to decrease by 800-1,200, and BR&T jobs in California are expected to decrease by 200-300.