Boeing announced that it is moving its global headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia, which is located just outside Washington, D.C.
The announcement, made on May 5, 2022, also revealed that Boeing plans to develop a research and technology hub on its Arlington, Virginia campus to harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities. The airline manufacturer’s defense division is also located in Arlington.
In 2001, Boeing moved its corporate headquarters from Seattle to Chicago.
The aircraft manufacturer said that it will still maintain a significant presence at its Chicago location and surrounding region.
Boeing said that during the past two years it has implemented flexible and virtual solutions that have enabled the company to reduce office space needs. Less office space will be required for the employees who will continue to be based at its Chicago office, Boeing added.
The manufacturer also said that it will adapt and modernize the workspace to better support future work requirements.
As a research and technology hub, Boeing said that the headquarters in Arlington will focus on developing innovations in the areas of cyber security, autonomous operations, quantum sciences, and software and systems engineering.
“The future of Boeing is digital,” Greg Hyslop, Boeing’s chief engineer and executive vice president of Engineering, Test and Technology said in a statement.
“Focusing our R&D and talent development in areas that support digital innovation will fuel the introduction of cutting-edge capabilities. This new hub in Northern Virginia will follow the successful implementation of this technology strategy in other regions,” Hyslop added.
Boeing’s three business units will continue to be based at its current headquarters. These are:
Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, Washington
Boeing Global Services in Plano, Texas
Boeing Defense, Space and Security in Arlington, Virginia
“We are excited to build on our foundation here in Northern Virginia,” President and chief executive officer of Boeing, Dave Calhoun said in a statement.
“The region makes strategic sense for our global headquarters given its proximity to our customers and stakeholders, and its access to world-class engineering and technical talent,” Calhoun added.