Boeing to Increase 747 Production by 2014

Boeing Co said it would increase production of its workhorse 737 aircraft to 47 planes per month by 2017 from 38 now.

Boeing, which produces the planes at its Renton, Washington plant, will increase the production rate to 42 per month in the first half of 2014.

"This increase will lay a solid foundation as we bridge into production on the 737 MAX," Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president Beverly Wyse said in a statement on Thursday.

The company said it has an order backlog of 3,400 for 737 aircraft, of which about 1,500 are for the next-generation MAX model.

The 737 Max has been upgraded with new engines and has several other enhancements that make it more fuel-efficient than existing models.

Boeing said the first delivery of the 737 MAX is on track for the third quarter of 2017.