Aviation

In St. Louis, Boeing will build a 130,000 square foot Manufacturing Innovation Center.

Boeing Invests $5 Million in Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in St. Louis

In order to help the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in St. Louis grow, Boeing [NYSE: BA] stated it will provide $5 million to (AMICSTL). The investment will contribute to the construction of the advanced manufacturing facility, the acceleration of workforce development initiatives, and the expansion of the technical and manufacturing capacities of the region.

St. Louis-area economic development and business leaders established AMICSTL in 2020 to help build a more diversified and resilient advanced manufacturing sector in the region. The new 130,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility will house workforce development programs, leading-edge R&D, and prototyping/production capacity spanning multiple “vertical” capabilities, including aerospace, ag tech, automotive, biomedical, construction, geospatial, and logistics.

Boeing to set up 130,000 Sq ft Manufacturing Innovation Center in St. Louis

The partnership between Boeing and AMICSTL aims to turn St. Louis’ North Central Corridor into an advanced manufacturing innovation and technology hub over the course of the next decade by establishing a single central location with an expandable campus that can support the entire advanced manufacturing process from concept to production. The new building will be close to the triangle formed by the Cortex, a hub for innovation, NGA West, a new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency facility, and the campus of Ranken Technical College.

In addition to Boeing’s five-year investment, Boeing Phantom Works Vice President Steve Nordlund will join the AMICSTL Board of Directors. Longtime Boeing St. Louis executive Kory Mathews, who is retiring from Boeing later this year, will serve as AMICSTL’s interim CEO.

Aviation

COMAC Secures $1.5B Regional Jets Order Deal with Hainan Airlines

In a move to strengthen its fleet and boost regional service, Hainan Airlines Holding Co. announced plans to acquire 40 ARJ21-700 jets from China’s state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC). As reported by Bloomberg.
The total deal, valued at up to $1.52 billion, highlights Hainan Airlines’ commitment to expanding its domestic reach with locally manufactured aircraft. The low-cost carrier Urumqi Air, part of Hainan’s group, will operate these jets under the deal, which outlines the delivery of aircraft in batches starting in 2025 and concluding by 2032.
Air China to Launch COMAC’s C929 in a Bid to Rival Boeing and Airbus
The ARJ21-700, China’s first independently developed regional jet, is designed for short- to medium-haul routes, making it a strategic fit for Urumqi Air’s service network. This regional jet features a seating configuration of 78 to 97 passengers, comac c919 price along with a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers—ideal for connecting smaller cities across China.
With this acquisition, Urumqi Air aims to further bolster regional connectivity, meeting the growing demand for efficient, economical travel options.In line with COMAC’s established naming conventions seen with the C919 narrowbody and the upcoming C929 widebody aircraft, the ARJ21-700’s designation emphasizes COMAC’s expanding product lineup.
Notably, in mid-October 2024, this updated jet model name was spotted on aircraft at Shanghai Pudong Airport, stirring anticipation about COMAC’s future plans.