Washington, May 28 (IANS): US airplane giant Boeing said that it has resumed production of its beleaguered 737 MAX aircraft at the company's Renton factory in Washington state, after a five-month hiatus.

Boeing halted its 737 MAX production in January as the worldwide grounding of the aircraft continued than expected.

More than 800 737 MAX jets have been globally grounded since mid-March 2019 after investigators found flawed flight control software on the aircraft was partially responsible for two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that together killed 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement on Wednesday, Boeing also confirmed in a statement that the 737 program will gradually ramp up production this year.

The 737 program began building airplanes at a low rate as it implements more than a dozen initiatives focused on enhancing workplace safety and product quality, it said.

"We've been on a continuous journey to evolve our production system," said Walt Odisho, vice president and general manager of the 737 program.

"These initiatives are the next step in creating the optimal build environment for the 737 MAX."

During the temporary suspension of production that began in January, mechanics and engineers collaborated to refine and standardize work packages in each position of the factory.

New processes will ensure that employees have everything they need to build the airplane, the company said.

"The steps we've taken in the factory will help drive our goal of 100 percent quality for our customers while supporting our ongoing commitment to workplace safety," said Scott Stocker, vice president of 737 Manufacturing.