Boeing's Latest Venture: Recycling

[tonyw]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1145...ys_us_page_one

Boeing Co., which posted a 29% jump in quarterly profit thanks to brisk demand for airplanes, is setting up a network of companies to recycle some old jets that its new models are replacing.

Scrapping old jetliners and recovering their materials for reuse is increasingly necessary as hundreds of old passenger planes are retired because they are no longer safe or efficient to operate. Many old aircraft are parked in deserts, mainly in the Southwestern U.S., although many planes -- especially old Soviet models -- are simply abandoned in Africa and parts of the former Soviet Union. Some in the industry expect that more than 4,000 airplanes will be retired during the next 20 years.

Boeing isn't going to recycle planes itself. Instead, it has organized eight U.S. and European companies that disassemble planes, salvage parts and recycle materials into a trade body called the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association, or AFRA. The creation of AFRA is expected to be formally announced today.

Billy Glover, director of environmental strategy at Boeing and head of the recycling project, said the primary goal is to better serve Boeing's customers when they need to dispose of aircraft. He said the participants in the association will also help Boeing recycle scrap materials from its own manufacturing.

[SIUAv8r]

Sounds like a good plan. There's a lot of junk sittin out in the desert that could be reused.

[caliginousface]

Awesome!