Boeing prepares Everett assembly line for future 737 MAX 10 production

Boeing has started recruiting manufacturing managers for a new 737 assembly line at its Everett, Washington, site, signaling concrete preparations to expand narrowbody production beyond its long-established facility in Renton. The move is notable because Everett, the company’s largest factory, has historically been dedicated exclusively to widebody aircraft.

Job listings published this month indicate that the new “North Line” in Everett will initially be staffed by personnel who will begin work in Renton before transitioning to the new facility. While Boeing will continue producing the bulk of its 737 family in Renton, the Everett line is planned as an additional capability rather than a replacement.

The Everett line is being developed primarily with the 737 MAX 10 in mind, the largest member of the MAX family. That aircraft has yet to receive certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), preventing Boeing from launching a dedicated production line for the type at this stage.

To bridge that gap, Boeing is expected to activate the Everett line initially using already certified variants, namely the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9. This would allow the company to validate tooling, processes and workforce readiness while awaiting approval of the MAX 10.

The certification of the MAX 10 has been delayed for several years, largely as a consequence of the heightened regulatory scrutiny applied to the 737 program following the fatal MAX 8 accidents in 2018 and 2019, as well as subsequent safety and quality issues affecting Boeing.

By bringing the Everett line online with smaller MAX variants first, Boeing aims to shorten the ramp-up timeline once the MAX 10 is cleared for service. Analysts view this approach as a way to reduce risk and compress the transition from certification to full-rate production of the stretched narrowbody.

If the plan proceeds as outlined, Everett would become the first Boeing site outside Renton to assemble 737 aircraft, marking a structural shift in how the manufacturer allocates narrowbody production across its US industrial footprint.

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