Resumption of deliveries of Boeing 737 in August to 48 in July

(Reuters) – Boeing Co (PROHIBITTuesday said it shipped 48 of its 737 top-selling single-aisle aircraft in August, rebounding from the 29 delivered in July, the lowest in years.

Deliveries from the world's largest automaker were delayed by the build-up of unfinished aircraft at its Renton, Wash. Plant due to production bottlenecks by its suppliers that disrupted manufacturing.

Boeing's 737 and Airbus "(AIR.PA) The A320 single-aisle aircraft are the milk cows of the two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world.

"Our team made good progress in August and we are focused on fully restoring the delivery schedule by the end of the year," said Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman.

Although monthly delivery figures may fluctuate, the figures give an idea of ​​the distance between Boeing and the delivery of aircraft compared to its goal of producing 52 narrow-body vehicles per month. Deliveries are crucial for aircraft manufacturers, because that's when airlines pay most of what they owe to the plane.

Morgan Stanley analyst Rajeev Lalwani said that 737 shipments exceeded his estimate of 30 to 35 units and that he was feeling more confident about Boeing's ability to meet its targets for 2018.

Renton's chagrin, fueled by engine and fuselage shortages as Boeing ramped up production in June, is expected to weigh on third-quarter results and threaten efforts to boost construction rates in 2019. The Seattle area has last week.

Boeing largely attributes this impasse to the shortage of fuselages at Spirit AeroSystems Inc., based in Wichita, Kansas (SPR.N) and the engines of CFM International Inc., a company of the French group Safran (SAF.PA) and General Electric Co (GE.N).

Boeing has deployed approximately 600 employees from other sites on the Renton site, and has sent teams of engineers to suppliers, the company said.

Boeing has also begun recruiting retirees on a temporary basis, Reuters reported on Monday.

Retirees will receive monthly bonuses of $ 500 in addition to salaries while continuing to receive their pension payments, said a union official.

Boeing executives said last week's cash forecast for 2018, a closely watched measure by investors, would remain unchanged, as would its goal of accelerating production in 2019, analysts said.

Boeing said that 737 monthly deliveries totaled 48 deliveries, up from 50 last year. Total aircraft deliveries were 64 in August, compared with 66 units a year earlier and 39 units in July.

Boeing said its total net orders in 2018 was 581 aircraft in August, up from 487 at the end of July.

The company said its total net orders for 2018 were 581 aircraft in August, compared with 487 in late July.

Boeing shares rose 1% to $ 345.49 on the mid-day market.