Boeing teller opp for 2014

Boeing Reveals Final Tallies in Record Year for Sales, Deliveries

by Gregory Polek

 - January 6, 2015, 12:27 PM

Boeing delivered a record 114 Dreamliners in 2014. (Photo: Boeing)

A record year for commercial airplane orders and sales on both sides of the Atlantic saw Boeing ship 723 airplanes and book orders for 1,432 jets worth $237.2 billion at list prices, the company revealed on Tuesday. At the end of the year Boeing's unfilled commercial orders stood at 5,789, representing another new all-time high for the company. Airbus, which also expects to set new order and delivery totals, plans to announce its 2014 year-end totals on January 13.

All three Boeing Commercial Airplanes production sites—in Everett and Renton, Washington; and North Charleston, South Carolina—each set records for airplane deliveries. Meanwhile, three programs—the 737, 777 and 787—each set a single-year delivery record. Last year Boeing delivered 485 Next Generation 737s, ninety-nine 777s and 114 Dreamliners, including the first 787-9 to launch customer Air New Zealand and first direct deliveries to 13 airline customers. Only a dismal sales year for the 747-8 tarnished the overall results, as the company registered gross orders for just two of the new jumbo jets while delivering 19. As a result, the company decided to cut production rates from 1.5 per month to 1.3 per month starting in September. The program’s delivery backlog now stands at 36.

Of the 1,432 net commercial orders Boeing booked in 2014, the Next-Generation 737 and 737 Max accounted for some two-thirds, registering sales of 1,104 airplanes, followed by the 777 and 777X with 283.

“In the face of fierce competition, we had a strong year,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner. “In 2015 we’ll remain focused on meeting our customer commitments, and prepare for key milestones on our development programs, including the start of assembly of the first 737 Max and firm configuration for the 777X.”