Boeing

On July 15, 1916, William E. Boeing launched a company that would change how the world travels. The first product was the B&W seaplane, built with Navy officer Conrad Westervelt in a Seattle shipyard. That venture became the Boeing Airplane Company in 1917, producing flying boats for the U.S. Navy during World War I. By 1928, Boeing had formed an airline division and soon merged into United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, absorbing Pratt & Whitney, Chance Vought, and Sikorsky along the way. The company took its current name in 1961 and reshaped the industry again with the 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas.

Today Boeing operates through three main segments. Boeing Commercial Airplanes builds the 737, 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner at facilities in Renton and Everett, Washington, and North Charleston, South Carolina. Boeing Defense, Space & Security produces fighters, bombers, satellites, and launch systems. Boeing Global Services handles maintenance, modifications, and logistics. The company delivered 600 commercial aircraft, 127 military aircraft, and 4 satellites in 2025. Revenue that year reached $89.5 billion. Boeing is the largest U.S. exporter by dollar value and the fourth-largest defense contractor globally.

Headquarters moved from Seattle to Chicago in 2001 and then to Arlington County, Virginia, in 2022. The company employs roughly 170,000 people and serves customers in more than 150 countries. Current CEO Kelly Ortberg took over in 2024, succeeding Dave Calhoun. The company has faced intense scrutiny following the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which led to a global grounding and ongoing investigations into safety culture and production quality. Despite net losses of $11.83 billion in 2024, Boeing continues to ramp up production and integrate Spirit AeroSystems into its operations. [edit]