Boeing South Carolina Breaks Ground on 787 Dreamliner Production Site Expansion

Boeing has announced that Boeing South Carolina (BSC) has broken ground on their site expansion for the 787 Dreamliner program.  BSC will increase 787 production to the rate of 10 airplanes per month in 2026, and the expansion will support higher production rates.

Boeing South Carolina Breaks Ground on 787 Dreamliner Production Site Expansion – Courtesy Boeing

On Friday (November 7, 2025), Boeing announced that Boeing South Carolina (BSC) has broken ground on the 787 production site expansion.  Home of the 787 Dreamliner program, BSC is set to increase production to a rate of 10 airplanes per month in 2026, and the new expansion will allow the site to support higher 787 production rates given strong market demand.  In late 2024, Boeing announced plans to expand and upgrade their site near Charleston International Airport and a second campus. The company is investing more than $1 billion in this infrastructure program and plans to create more than 1,000 new jobs over the next five years.

Speaking at Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President and CEO, Stephanie Pope, said,

“We continue to see strong demand for the 787 Dreamliner family and its market-leading efficiency and versatility.  We are making this significant investment today to ensure Boeing is ready to meet our customer’s needs in the years and decades ahead.  This site expansion is a testament to the incredible work of our Boeing teammates and deepens our commitment to them, to South Carolina, and to American manufacturing.”

Also commenting on Boeing South Carolina’s expansion, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, said,

“With visionary leadership, President Trump is restoring America’s industrial base and breathing life back into our great manufacturing states, including the great state of South Carolina.  We are proud to work alongside American businesses to build the world’s greatest products, create high-paying jobs, and safeguard the economic and national security of our nation.”

South Carolina’s Governor, Henry McMaster, added,

“Boeing’s continued investment in South Carolina is a tremendous vote of confidence in our state’s people and business climate.  This $1 billion expansion and the creation of 1,000 new jobs will strengthen our position as a global leader in aerospace and advanced manufacturing.  We are grateful for Boeing's partnership and commitment to the Lowcountry, which will bring new opportunities and economic prosperity across our state.”

Rendering of Boeing South Carolina's Second 787 Final Assembly Building When Completed - Courtesy Boeing

The expanded facility will include a new final assembly building similar in size to the current final assembly building, which is roughly 1.2 million square feet, and will include airplane production positions, production support and office space. It will also include a parts preparation area facility, a vertical fin paint facility, Flight Line stalls and more at the Airport Campus, as well as additions to the Interiors Responsibility Center, where many of the 787’s interior components are made.

To date, 90 customers worldwide have placed over 2,250 orders for the 787 Dreamliner Family, making it the best-selling widebody passenger airplane of all time.  After more than 1,200 deliveries, the 787 backlog stands at nearly 1,000 airplanes, including more than 300 orders added just this year.  For more than a decade, BSC has been the home of the full 787 Dreamliner production cycle. Teammates fabricate, assemble and deliver the three Dreamliner models (787-8, 787-9 and 787-10) to customers around the world. The company established operations in South Carolina in 2009 and currently employs over 8,200 people across its campuses in North Charleston and in Orangeburg.

Source: Boeing