Boeing production practice pioneered in North Charleston going company-wide

A practice designed to boost production at Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner factories in North Charleston and Everett, Wash., has been so successful it’s spreading to the aerospace giant’s other divisions.

Called “champion times,” the practice measures the amount of time it takes Boeing workers to complete tasks at each stage of a Dreamliner’s assembly. The lowest total after all of the hours worked have been tallied is considered a champion time.

“It’s your best effort,” said Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter. “It means all of the parts were there, everything went right the first time and you got it done right as quickly as possible, including passing all of the quality checks. It’s not just a matter of chasing the best time, it also has to be done well.”