Oregon Public Broadcasting

Boeing announced Friday that it is planning to lay-off 4500 workers from its commercial airplanes division, because of the faltering economy. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The commercial airplanes division builds wide body planes in Washington State like the 747 in Everett and the 737 in Renton.

The landing gear is manufactured in Gresham. Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx says there will be lay-offs in Oregon, but he doesn’t know how many.

Jim Proulx: “If you move airplane parts around, you’re much less likely to be effected than if you move paper around.”

The Gresham plant was expanded last year by as much as 50 percent, bringing its local work force up to  about 1800 people.

The company has said that the machinists’ strike last fall hurt business, with about 15 percent fewer planes delivered in 2008 than the year before.