Boeing

The Boeing Company has honored five suppliers to its Long Beach Division for superior quality and performance, presenting them with the 1998 Commercial Airplanes President's Award for Excellence.

"This award is presented to suppliers who have worked with us, in support of our products here in Long Beach, and have demonstrated world-class practices that benefit our airline customers," said Steve Pohl, director - Supplier Management, Long Beach Division, at a special recognition dinner in Newport Beach, Calif.

"We salute you and your employees for excelling in what you do best," Pohl said, "thereby adding value to our products and supporting our business goals."

Jim Phillips, vice president - 717 Program, presented the awards to the five suppliers - all of whom provide parts and components for the new 717-200 passenger jet. The 717 is in a flight test and certification program, and is due to be delivered to customers starting in mid-1999.

Recipients of the President's Award are:

• JAMCO Corporation of Tokyo, Japan - lavatories.
• Korean Air Aerospace of Pusan, Korea - nose structure.
• Labinal Aero & Defense Systems of Pryor Creek, Okla. - wiring components.
• TW Metals of Los Angeles, Calif. - tubing raw materials.
• Watson Profiling Corp. of Ontario, Calif. - machined parts and subassemblies.

Phillips said JAMCO's 12-month quality rating is 99 percent. The company consistently delivers parts before the commitment date. "JAMCO considers good coordination essential to its customers' success, and we really appreciate that," he said.

Korean Air Aerospace has been the primary supplier of the 717-200 nose, MD-11 spoilers and fillet panels, and several MD-80 and MD-90 subassemblies. "Korean Air's excellent track record was a contributing factor in awarding the 717-200 nose contract to them," Phillips said. "KAL has delivered a total of nine 717-200 nose structures to us - every one of them ahead of schedule."

Labinal has implemented a new "dynamic" process, according to Phillips, that will "reduce the cost of quality to them and to us." He added that Labinal has worked closely with Boeing in an effort to reduce 717-200 costs.

TW Metals has been the primary supplier of tubing raw materials for all Boeing commercial airplanes since 1995. "Working together," Phillips said, "we have a just-in-time, cut-to-size program to ensure timely deliveries to the Long Beach Division. This has resulted in greater manufacturing efficiency at lower costs."

Phillips said that Watson Profiling "consistently demonstrates a pro-active approach to quality. Their approach helps to ensure the best price for Boeing, and a good rate of return for them."

Also participating in the event were Russell Bunio, vice president and general manager - Materiel, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Dick Pearson, vice-president and general manager - Long Beach Division.

Bunio congratulated the suppliers, saying they "have certainly demonstrated what it takes to be a top supplier to Boeing." In addition, Pearson saluted the winners for their "excellent performance in the areas of quality, schedule and pricing. All of these measures are critical to us in the job of developing, building and delivering Boeing airplanes."

In November, Boeing honored six suppliers to its Puget Sound Commercial Airplanes operations.