Spirit AeroSystems facts for kids
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Formerly
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Mid-Western Aircraft Systems Holdings, Inc. |
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| Public | |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
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Key people
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Pat Shanahan (President & CEO) |
| Revenue |  US$1,813 million (2023) |
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Operating income
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US$198 million (2023) |
| US$59 million (2023) |
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| Total assets | US$6,950 million (2023) |
| Total equity |  US$(512.8) million (2023) |
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Number of employees
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18,235 (2022) |
| Footnotes / references Financials as of December 31, 2023[update]. References: |
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Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. is an American company that makes parts for airplanes. It's based in Wichita, Kansas. The company builds important sections of Boeing planes. This includes the main body (fuselage) of the 737 and 787. They also make the front part where the pilots sit (flight deck) for most Boeing airliners.
Spirit also makes parts for Airbus planes. These include fuselage sections and wing parts for the A350. They also build the wings for the A220. Other companies like Collins Aerospace and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are Spirit's main competitors.
Contents
History of Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems started in 2005. It was formed when Boeing sold its Wichita factory to a company called Onex Corporation.
The main factory in Wichita has a long history. It began as Stearman Aircraft in 1927. Later, Boeing took over the plant in 1941. This factory built many famous bomber planes. These included the B-29 Superfortress during World War II. At its busiest during the war, nearly 30,000 people worked there. From 1957 to 1963, they built 467 B-52 planes in Wichita.
Spirit also includes old factories from North American Aviation. These are located in Tulsa and McAlester, Oklahoma.
In 2006, Spirit bought a business from BAE Systems. This business made airplane parts in the United Kingdom. It supplied parts mainly to Airbus and Boeing. This deal helped Spirit grow even more.
In 2019, Spirit bought parts of Bombardier Aviation. This included factories in Northern Ireland and Morocco. It also added a repair facility in Dallas. This deal was important because it gave Spirit a bigger role in making wings for the Airbus A220. These wings are made in the Belfast factory.
In March 2024, Boeing started talking about buying Spirit AeroSystems. This happened after Spirit had some financial challenges. Both companies faced close attention after an event on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. On that flight, a part called a "door plug" came off the plane. This part was not properly secured during manufacturing. Boeing stated that bringing the companies back together would make aviation safer. It would also improve quality for customers and employees.
How Spirit AeroSystems Operates
In 2010, most of Spirit's money came from two big customers. About 85% of sales were to Boeing. Another 11% came from Airbus.
Spirit became a public company in 2006. This means its shares can be bought and sold by anyone. On its first day, the company's stock price went up by 10%. The company that first owned Spirit, Onex, sold all its shares by 2014. Over nine years, Onex made a lot of money from its investment.
What Spirit AeroSystems Makes
Spirit's main products are large parts of airplanes. These are called "aerostructures." They are made from metal and special materials called composites. Spirit builds these parts for Boeing, Airbus, and Bombardier airliners. They also make parts for business aircraft and military versions of these planes.
Spirit's main job has always been to build the 737 fuselage. This is the main body of the plane. They also make the nose and front cabin sections for most Boeing jetliners. These parts are mostly built at Spirit's factory in Wichita, Kansas. Spirit also makes major fuselage and wing parts for current Airbus jetliners. These are often made in their factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Spirit also makes parts for other aircraft companies. These are built at different locations in the United States and the United Kingdom. For example, they build the fuselages for the Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. They also create other defense-related aerospace products.
Spirit AeroSystems Locations
Spirit AeroSystems has factories in several countries:
- United States
- Wichita, Kansas (This was once a Boeing factory)
- Biddeford, Maine
- Dallas, Texas (This was once a Bombardier factory)
- Kinston, North Carolina
- Tulsa, Oklahoma (This was also once a Boeing factory)
- United Kingdom
- Belfast, Northern Ireland (This was once a Bombardier factory, known as Short Brothers)
- Prestwick, Scotland (This was once a BAE Systems factory)
- France
- Malaysia
- Subang
- Morocco
- Casablanca (This was once a Bombardier factory)
Quality and Safety at Spirit AeroSystems
In late 2023, some people who used to work at Spirit AeroSystems shared concerns. They said there were problems with how parts were checked for quality. They also mentioned that employees who spoke up about issues sometimes faced difficulties.
On January 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had an incident. A part called a "door plug" came off the plane during the flight. Spirit AeroSystems makes the fuselage and door plug. These parts are then sent to Boeing for final assembly. Investigations showed that the door plug was not properly secured during manufacturing. This event led to discussions about how to improve safety and quality in airplane manufacturing. Both Spirit and Boeing are working to make sure such issues do not happen again.
