LYNNWOOD—Boeing plans to open an Everett “North Line” assembly for its 737 MAX in “midsummer” of 2026, marking a key step in the aerospace juggernaut’s push to ramp up output after years of production setbacks. Katie Ringgold, Boeing’s vice president and 737 program general manager, revealed the timeline during a speech at the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Association’s Advance 2026 conference on Feb. 10.
“I am excited that Boeing will open the long-awaited fourth MAX production line in Everett this summer,” Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA02), Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee, released in a statement on Wednesday. “Northwest Washington is home to the best aviation and aerospace workers in the world, and today’s news will create more jobs for the women and men in my district. The North Line will continue to drive our region’s aviation and aerospace economy for years to come.”
The new production line, known as the North Line, will operate in Everett where Boeing has repurposed space that once built widebody aircraft— Boeing ended 747 production in 2022 and has shifted all 787 Dreamliner assembly to South Carolina. The move comes as Boeing works to stabilize and expand production of the 737 MAX, its bestselling narrowbody jet that competes with Airbus’ A320neo family. Ringgold told attendees that suppliers could expect Boeing to boost output by about 15% over the next 18 months.
She pegged the next target rate at 47 jets per month for 2027. Boeing currently produces 38 planes each month and has begun a gradual increase to 42. Over the longer term, the company aims to produce 63 373 MAX aircraft monthly in a stretched multi-year goal.
Boeing has navigated a series of disruptions, from the 20-month grounding of the 737 MAX fleet after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 to supply chain strains during the COVID-19 pandemic and a midair panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024. That incident prompted federal regulators to cap production temporarily, a limit eased last September.
CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took the helm in August 2024, has made production stability a priority. He committed to rate hikes of about five planes every six months, contingent on meeting quality benchmarks set by the Federal Aviation Administration.
By adding the Everett line—the first 737 assembly outside Boeing’s Renton plant south of Seattle—the company seeks to ease bottlenecks and build resilience. Workers have already started training for the new operation, Ringgold said, as Boeing coordinates with suppliers to align on the stepped-up pace.
After cutting jobs amid earlier downturns, the company has posted openings for the Everett operation, signaling a rebound and some economic growth for Snohomish County. Still, investors reacted coolly, with Boeing shares slipping nearly 2.5% (or $6.17) as of the publication of this article since the North Line announcement.
Author: Mario Lotmore
