Boeing to mentor, teach lean to Native American company

Boeing has signed an agreement with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to mentor Muskogee Metalworks, an economic enterprise of the tribe. Under the agreement, Boeing will provide quality assurance, lean training, and marketing and business development assistance. The agreement between Boeing and Muskogee will help Muskogee Metalworks become a more cost-effective and viable subcontractor to Boeing and other customers.

"We are proud to be associated with Muskogee Metalworks and with this Mentor-Protege agreement, the latest in a series that Boeing has established with small companies to benefit from the diverse capabilities of companies located throughout Alabama," said Chuck Allen, vice president, Boeing Huntsville (Ala.) Business Operations. "Mentor-Protege agreements are a priority for Boeing because they promote the growth of suppliers and ultimately strengthen the business base."

The U.S. Department of Defense Mentor-Protege Program pairs large companies with eligible small businesses to enhance their capabilities and enable them to successfully compete for larger, more complex prime contract and subcontract awards.

Muskogee Metalworks is a tribally owned enterprise. Its 90,000-square-foot facility provides machine parts to military and private enterprise and participates in the U.S. Air Force Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program. In operation since 1989, Muskogee Metalworks' primary business is the design and manufacture of metal fabricated hardware. In 2001, the product line was expanded to include electronic assemblies and electro- mechanical production. In 2005, Muskogee Metalworks received the Nunn-Perry Award, the highest honor awarded to a contractor by the Department of Defense.

Boeing is the largest aerospace company in Alabama. Today, the workforce of more than 3,000 employees work on the leading edge of key space and defense programs, including the International Space Station, Ground-based Midcourse Defense, Avenger and the PAC-3 missile.

A unit of the Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.