Premium Op Ed: In the pre-race for NMA – The hill for WA State gets steeper and uncertain

It is “silly” season again, a Formula 1 terminology, used to describe which driver is going to drive for which team the following season.  The Boeing Company appears to have a similar, albeit much more distant effect on states vying to capture final assembly or at least a significant share of Boeing’s next midsized airplane, which could also impact significantly the site selection for the narrow-body aircraft slated to enter service in the early 30s.

The state of Washington, Boeing’s traditional home for over 100 years has witnessed significant transformation over the past 30 years.  Moving from a traditional agricultural and industrial force to a more diversified and highly competitive high tech hub thanks to companies such as Microsoft and Amazon.  Boeing remains the top employer in the state in 2018, but employment levels are likely to continue to decline as the company diversifies its footprint, both nationally and globally.