Boeing is the largest aircraft manufacturer of all time, having success stories running throughout U.S business history. The company is well-known for its commercial airplanes and input in space and security. William E. Boeing established the company in 1916 in Seattle before moving to Chicago (O’Connell, 2020). Boeing started manufacturing by transforming a building plant designed for wooden boats. The company earned its first income from the United States military and contracted it to develop aircraft. Due to the influence the firm had in the market, the owner focused on ensuring that he gathered input and ideas from all staff members.
Boeing also developed aircraft specifically designed to deliver mail to faraway cities and towns in the country. The aircraft provided a faster way for people to share information despite having distance barriers. This forced the company to change its business model to incorporate airplane manufacturing and flights. In 1931, Boing transformed other airlines into a single one to form United Airlines (UAL) and also purchased other airplane manufacturing companies to expand its operations (O’Connell, 2020). Later, the firm changed its name to Boeing Airline Company and played a significant role in developing military aircraft used during World War II.
When the war was over, Boeing shifted back to manufacturing commercial aircraft to make single trips across the country. This meant that the company had to eliminate aircraft that used propellers and adapt turbojets. Boeing started receiving large orders from the United States air force, which made it roll out the 707, commonly used by Pan American Airlines. This airplane model was the public’s favorite since it allowed them to move from one city to another within a few hours. Becoming the public’s favorite aircraft enabled Boeing to manage large orders for the airplane model. The high number of orders for the 707 made Boeing develop the 737 and 747, which affected the production process, almost making the company announced bankruptcy.
As Boeing considered the production of the 747 models, the industry was hit by a recession which acted as a barrier to domestic carriers purchasing new aircraft. The production of the 747 was also affected when the company started building the 2707 model, whose production had been halted due to the high costs involved. However, the 747 became the highest-selling aircraft since they were bigger and had faster engines (Hayward, 2020). Boeing never gave up on the airplane model, which was fruitful. The company has seen an increase in revenue coming from its diverse product line and a high number of orders from customers. With time the company has opened up multiple subsidiaries to handle various operations. Despite being a giant in the aircraft manufacturing industry, Boeing still has many competitors seeking to overtake its position.
Boeing started expanding its operations to enable the production of helicopters. Boeing’s assembly lines also integrated the manufacture of missiles for the military, with the first missile being launched in 1962. Boeing also expanded its processes to allow air and land craft building, with NASA being the main customer. This enabled the company to produce rockets to take human beings to the moon and back. The firm also manufactured vehicles designed for the space shuttle mission organized by NASA till the project was closed down. Boeing later produced the 757 and 767 aircraft models, which were more beneficial since they were used in flying and training exercises. This helped cut down on costs needed to purchase aircraft designed for the two processes differ. Boeing was also involved in managing a housing project designed to develop various projects to improve housing in the country.
The 777 models from the company used a design and manufacturing software that was computer-aided. Boeing managed to save time and resources when building the aircraft by failing to create a physical frame first. The firm later turned to the production of the 787 Dreamliner, which caused significant production problems. The aircraft kept failing stress tests and experienced production flaws, which slowed the manufacturing process. The airplane model was later grounded since they indicated a high risk of batteries firing. However, the 787 became the fastest and most fuel-saving commercial aircraft in the industry. The various airplane models produced by Boeing have enabled the firm to become a top manufacturer globally.
Boeing has employed more than 140,000 people in various countries. Being located in various parts of the world has allowed the company to get one of the most diverse and talented workforces (Boeing, 2017). The company also focuses on offering its customer’s service solutions for the wide range of products available in the market. Boeing has customer support which is active to ensure that aircraft operate with high efficiency and enhance mission assurance. Boeing also has a capital corporation that provides its customers with a wide range of financing solutions. This helps to ensure that they have adequate funds to purchase different aircraft products hence minimizing struggles likely to be experienced due to lack of funds.
References
Boeing. (2017). The Boeing Company: General information. Web.
Hayward, J. (2020). The rise and fall of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.Simple Flying. Web.
O’Connell, B. (2020). History of Boeing: Timeline and facts. The Street. Web.