Boeing, AVIC Announce Expansion of Aircraft Composites JV amidst U.S.-China Balloon Row

Boeing and Aviation Industries Corporation of China (AVIC) announced February 6 the third phase expansion of Tianjin Boeing Composites Co., Ltd, a joint venture to make composite parts for the Boeing’s line of commercial airliners.

The announcement comes even as the U.S. and China are sparring over the shooting down of a Chinese weather balloon, which the Pentagon claims was carrying a surveillance payload, a charge which Beijing vehemently denies.

On February 6, Boeing announced that the third phase expansion project of Tianjin Boeing Composites Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Boeing) has completed the main structure and is expected to be put into use in the middle of this year.

Xie Lijia, President of Boeing China, said: "I would like to express my sincere congratulations on the latest major progress of Tianjin Boeing's Phase III expansion. As Boeing's first joint venture in China, Tianjin Boeing can be regarded as a model of our cooperation with China's civil aviation industry."

Tianjin Boeing's Phase III expansion was launched in 2019, aiming to more than double the factory's current production space and set up a number of new work areas and amenities, including functionally upgraded offices and conference rooms, new employee canteens, tea rooms, underground parking lot, fitness center, shower room and maternity care room, etc.

The expansion project incorporates the latest green building concepts, including solar power generation for daily operations, waste water and rainwater recycling systems, factory-wide LED lighting, and water-saving facilities in restrooms. When the third phase of the facility is put into use later this year, Tianjin Boeing will apply for the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) Platinum and Gold certifications for its office buildings and plants, respectively.

Park Qinglian, general manager of Boeing Tianjin, said: "With more than 20 years of successful operation and good cooperation with the local government, Tianjin Boeing Composite Materials Company has become an indispensable part of Tianjin's civil aviation industry as an important part of China's civil aviation manufacturing industry. member."

It is reported that Tianjin Boeing was established in 1999 and delivered its one millionth product in 2017. So far, the total output of Tianjin Boeing has exceeded 1.6 million pieces, providing support for all Boeing commercial aircraft models in production.