Boeing, one of the world's leading providers of commercial aircraft, expressed its interest in boosting its supply chain in Vietnam and expanding its operations by directly working with local suppliers, its representative told the local media this week.
Michael Nguyen, general director of Boeing Vietnam, said that out of the seven suppliers based in Vietnam, only one company is run by Vietnamese. The rest is either South Korean or Japanese.
At the Boeing Aerospace Industry Forum held in Hanoi on Thursday, the general director said they would like Vietnam to become their strategic supplier. "We really want to directly work with Vietnamese companies, but domestic businesses need to learn to walk before they can run,” Michael said.
Vietnam-made parts are present in every Boeing plane, like doors and door handlers. But the American manufacturer of commercial jetliners believes Vietnamese workers and experts can grow even more and produce other components with the right guidance. Thus, their interest in expanding its operations in the Southeast Asian country.
Michael added that for homegrown firms to master more complex pieces and cater to a wider scope, Boeing is willing to collaborate with universities to train their personnel in the field of sciences.
Craig Abler, global supply chain director of Boeing, said he had already met with a few Vietnamese partners to introduce Boeing’s standards and expectations from its suppliers. He also revealed they are looking at the possibility of opening factories in Vietnam and having teams develop more suppliers in the country.
In the next 30 years, experts anticipate Southeast Asia will need 4,000 planes. Michael and his team at Boeing believe Vietnam is in a leading position to be part of satisfying such a demand.
The American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide has been operating in Vietnam for almost 30 years. The company has made major contributions to Vietnam's aviation industry, including technical assistance in defense and commercial aviation.
Today, Boeing manufactures the 737, 747, 767, 777, and 787 families of airplanes and the Boeing Business Jet range. New product development efforts include the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, the 737 MAX, and the 777X.