Boeing's helped rev up state economy, UA finds

Study notes more than $1.5B a year in impact

The Boeing Co. is a major economic driver in the North Alabama economy, according to a University of Alabama study, pouring more than $1.5 billion into the state every year in contracts and payroll money.

The University of Alabama's Center for Business and Economic Research conducted the economic impact for Boeing and found the defense contractor has:

Created 10,000 jobs around the state;

Distributed a payroll of $237.4 million;

Spent $556.5 million with 375 Alabama businesses;

Made charitable contributions of nearly $1.2 million.

Carl Ferguson, University of Alabama business center director, said an economic advantage of having Boeing in the state keeps skilled workers in North Alabama.

'Be educated'

"This news means that if you want to compete in the 21st century, then be educated," Ferguson told about 200 North Alabama community leaders Wednesday while presenting his findings at the Boeing management offices in Cummings Research Park.

Boeing has been working on defense and space programs in Huntsville for more than 50 years.

"Boeing has been a significant part of North Alabama and Huntsville history for many, many years. There are many second, and even third, generation Boeing families around North Alabama," said U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville.

Boeing designs, builds and manages a number of federal programs in North Alabama, with the main concentration of work being in Huntsville.

The defense contractor works on ground-based missile defense, the Patriot missile and the International Space Station in Huntsville.

Delta IV rocket

In Decatur, Boeing builds the Delta IV rocket, and under a new launch agreement with Lockheed Martin, the Atlas 5 will be built at the rocket plant.

"Lives around the world depend on what Boeing does here in North Alabama," said Roger Krone, president of Boeing's Network and Space Systems and Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems.