The Boeing Co. considered several other locations before it announced this week that it will build its new generation 737 MAX at its Renton, Wash., facilities where skilled members of the SPEEA/International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 2001 and Machinists (IAM) District 751 have produced high quality aircraft for decades.
An independent study sponsored by the unions along with government and business groups helped convince Boeing that Renton was the best place to build the new generation 737.
The study, known as Project Pegasus, showed that Renton with the large pool of highly skilled workers was the best option with the lowest risk for the airline manufacturer, says SPEEA President Tom McCarty.
This was a very proactive effort to make sure these planes are designed and built by the most experienced and productive workforce in the world.