Spirit Aero to furlough 700 workers for 21 days due to Boeing strike

By Allison Lampert and Mike Stone

(Reuters) -Spirit AeroSystems told employees on Friday that it will furlough 700 workers for 21 days as an over one-month-long strike at U.S. planemaker Boeing eats into the supplier’s cash and inventory space.

The furloughs, first reported by Reuters, will affect Spirit Aero employees working on Boeing’s 767 and 777 widebody jet programs. Production of those jets was halted during the strike by more than 33,000 U.S. West Coast factory workers since Sept. 13.

The furloughs follow other Spirit efforts to cut costs, including a hiring freeze and travel and overtime restrictions.

Spirit said in a statement on Friday it does not have room for additional storage of the 767 and 777 fuselages it builds.

“We recognize the impact this has on our valued teammates and their families, and we are committed to supporting them through this period,” said Spirit CEO Pat Shanahan.

Boeing suppliers, who invested heavily on materials and tooling to support the planemaker’s planned ramp-up of jets, have been furloughing workers in recent weeks and holding off on investments due to the strike.

Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit Aero also warned it would have to lay off workers and announce additional furloughs if the strike continues past November, Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino said.

Boeing declined to comment.

Boeing and its supply chain have weathered a series of crises over the last six years, including a 737 MAX safety grounding after two fatal crashes, the global pandemic, and a quality crisis since the blowout of a door plug in January.

Boeing furloughed thousands of salaried employees on a rolling basis after the strike began but cancelled those last week after it announced plans to cut 10% of the company’s workforce, or about 17,000 jobs.

Spirit Aero’s second-quarter losses more than doubled. One industry source familiar with the matter said the company has scaled back production of 737 MAX fuselages from 31 a month to 21 a month in August, September and October, and may have to reduce further. Boeing has been checking in regularly with Spirit Aero over its finances, a second source said.

Spirit has fully drawn a $350-million bridge term loan facility set up when Boeing agreed to acquire its supplier, and it is expected to be asking for additional help from the planemaker, the source said.

Spirit declined to comment on its loan facility and output.

Since March, Boeing has been inspecting the new fuselages at Spirit’s Kansas factory and vetting has taken longer than expected, a third industry source said. The delays had already slowed deliveries of 737 MAX fuselages from Spirit to Boeing’s Renton, Washington, factory.

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The delays and the strike have made it less likely that Boeing will meet its goal to produce 38 MAX jets a month by the end of 2024, up from 25 jets a month in July.

During the strike, Spirit Aero has increased inspections of 737 MAX fuselages at its factory so more will be ready when the stoppage ends, Buccino said.

Spirit Aero shares dipped 0.6% in morning trading, but are on pace for a weekly gain.

(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal and Mike Stone in Washington; additional reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Marguerita Choy and Rod Nickel)