The Boeing Company, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle's Pacific Northwest, is a global aerospace manufacturer with over a century of operations in commercial aviation, defense systems, and space exploration. Starting as Pacific Aero Products Company in a converted boat house on Lake Union, the company hand-crafted its first two B&W seaplanes before evolving into one of the world's leading aerospace enterprises and the top US exporter in the sector.
Boeing's technical domains span aircraft design and manufacturing, defense systems, and space systems. The company developed pioneering commercial aircraft including the Boeing 747 wide-body airliner, contributed to the International Space Station development, and created the CST-100 Starliner crew spacecraft. Current product lines include commercial airplanes for global air travel connectivity, defense products for national security applications, space systems for exploration and operations, and comprehensive aftermarket services for customers worldwide.
The company operates as a multinational enterprise with a founding heritage rooted in technical innovation and rigorous engineering standards. From its origins building seaplanes through Yale-educated timber merchant and aviation enthusiast William E. Boeing's vision for safer aircraft, the organization has maintained focus on solving complex aerospace challenges across hardware and software integration boundaries. Led by CEO Kelly Ortberg and headquartered in the United States, Boeing continues to manufacture and service aerospace systems addressing constraints in commercial aviation, defense operations, and space exploration domains.