One of Africa’s largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines has announced a joint venture with Boeing to expand the manufacture of aviation components.
The facility is receiving an investment of US$ 15 million to manufacture components such as thermoacoustic insulating blankets and electrical harnesses.
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The plant will be built near the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Boeing, however, had not commented on the project.
The unusual movement comes after Boeing and Ethiopian reached an agreement regarding the accident with a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that killed 157 people in March 2019 and precipitated the grounding of the aircraft.
In 2021, Boeing and the state-owned airline reached an agreement that involved paying financial compensation and discounts on aircraft purchases.
At the time, the aircraft manufacturer also announced plans to invest in a maintenance center in Ethiopia in partnership with the airline.
In addition, Boeing anticipated expanding Ethiopian Airlines’ capacity to produce parts for its planes – according to The Seattle Times, the country already supplied the wire harnesses but on a small scale.
Ethiopian Airlines has a fleet of more than 140 aircraft, the vast majority provided by Boeing, including 13 737 MAX, which returned to the skies in February 2022.
