(Bloomberg) – Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said U.S. planners have implemented comprehensive changes to reduce the number of defects and obstacles in their production lines as he faces problems with U.S. senators recovering from several high-profile accidents.
In the improvements, Boeing has stepped up inspections at its plants and major suppliers while working to streamline the process, Ortberg said. He said fewer workers can now perform tasks of deleting components such as door plugs. Earlier last year, such an improperly fixed fuselage panel loosened the company in a passenger flight, which eventually led to the management turmoil that left Ortberg.
The CEO said the so-called travel work fell by 50% from other positive signs of Ortberg’s overhaul, meaning the production process was beyond the sequence. The company also found that defects in its airframe supplier Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc. fell by 56%. Boeing is buying back the spirit to control the process of companion more.
The CEO said that every fuselage door now undergoes additional inspections to ensure there are no defects that could lead to rework later.
Alterberg said at the hearing that the near-turning twists on January 5 last year were “a moment of catharsis for all of us.” “It is crucial for us to rebuild trust.”
The CEO is eager to focus on improving Boeing’s safety culture, saying he won’t push for higher aircraft productivity until critical safety indicators point in the right direction. The CEO said he limited financial guidance shared with investors in a tribute to criticism of past executives who emphasized the generation of cash and productivity that forced factory workers to downplay safety issues, the CEO said.
“I didn’t put pressure on the team to go quickly, and I forced the team to do it right,” Alterberg said. “This is the most important thing we can do right now.”
The CEO said he “hope” Boeing can exceed the speed of the 38,737 maximum aircraft in the next month of the year.
Ortberg’s appearance is the first since his CEO since August to be in front of U.S. lawmakers. He succeeded Dave Calhoun, part of a broader leadership restructuring. Calhoun faced scorching criticism last year, who appeared before MPs last year. In contrast, the tone of the Alterberg hearing was more measurable and cordial.
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