Ducommun Incorporated today reported that it has received a contract from Boeing to produce engine inlet bulkheads for the 737 MAX — Boeing's newest family of single-aisle airplanes. Ducommun will produce the titanium assemblies at its Parsons, Kan. operations center and ship them for integration into 737 MAX engine nacelle inlets at Boeing's new Propulsion South Carolina facility. Ducommun has provided structural solutions for the 737 platform since its inception.

“This is an excellent win for Ducommun, as we expand our relationship with Boeing on the 737 MAX platform,” said Anthony J. Reardon, chairman and chief executive officer. ”In addition, this is the first time our Kansas operation will work directly with Boeing as a sole-sourced supplier, a major achievement. Our team will use proprietary manufacturing processes and materials that will enhance the fuel efficiency and lower operating costs for this highly-anticipated commercial jetliner.”

The Boeing 737 MAX will build on the platform's reliability while delivering improved fuel efficiency to the single-aisle market. First flight is scheduled for 2016, with deliveries to customers anticipated to begin in 2017. The 737 MAX has already accumulated over 2,000 orders and is expected to have eight percent lower per-seat operating costs than its competition.