Marysville firm snares 787 work

Northwest Composites in Marysville said yesterday it has won a $400 million contract to provide linings for the passenger cabin and cargo hold of Boeing's new 787.

The contract, good for about 15 years of production, could lead to 150 to 300 more jobs at the composites supplier, said Jerry Goodwin, general manager and vice president. The company now employs about 480.

There are no plans to expand the company's three factories, which total 350,000 square feet and are in Marysville.

Northwest Composites has worked with Boeing on several projects, including supplying interiors for the 767-200, 767-300 and 767-400. It engineered, certified and fabricated parts for the "new look interior" of the 767s, which now have the curved, smooth lines of a Boeing 777.

The company will do the same work for the 787, using industrial designs provided by Boeing. It is competing for contracts to supply other 787 parts as well, Goodwin said.

The 18-year-old company also does work for aircraft makers Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer.

It is building staircases for Airbus' gigantic new A380, scheduled to enter service next year.

For that jetliner, Northwest Composites builds the main entry stairs, an aft spiral staircase and stairs leading up to the cockpit.

Another Washington company, Crane Aerospace & Electronics in Lynnwood, said yesterday it was awarded a contract worth about $40 million by Honeywell to provide power-control modules and batteries.

Honeywell is developing flight-control electronics for the 787.

The 787 is scheduled to enter service in 2008.

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com