SABIC Innovative Plastics premieres at the 2008 Hamburg A...

SABIC Innovative Plastics premieres at the 2008 Hamburg Aircraft Interiors Show

Inaugural appearance demonstrates continued industry commitment while touting new solutions for 2008

SABIC Innovative Plastics, formerly GE Plastics, today makes its aviation industry debut at the 2008 Aircraft Interiors Expo, from April 1 – 3, here in Hamburg, Germany. While the company has a new name, SABIC Innovative Plastics’ commitment to the aviation industry, investment in research & development, and world-class talent remains unchanged. Building on its legacy of innovation in the aviation segment, SABIC Innovative Plastics is displaying several new solutions including new applications for Lexan™ FST 9705 resin, a new Lexan XHR6000 sheet, and a new foam composite core solution, based on the Ultem™ resin platform, to be commercialized later this year.

Today’s aviation industry is increasingly complex. To be more competitive and to create differentiated designs, manufacturers are tasked with staying abreast of the latest material solutions – ones that ultimately deliver better performance around critical trends such as safety, total cost of ownership, and weight reduction. With decades of experience in the industry, SABIC Innovative Plastics has developed one of the broadest material portfolios for interior applications. SABIC Innovative Plastics’ resources can help manufacturers realize the next breakthrough solution to meet evolving application requirements.

“Our commitment to work side-by-side with our customers on development initiatives gives us a unique perspective and insight into many of the competitive challenges they are facing,” said Steve Wyatt, global marketing director for Transportation, SABIC Innovative Plastics. “Understanding that airlines wish to differentiate their product offerings, while at the same time finding innovative solutions for controlling costs and reducing total cost of ownership, we offer a one-stop-shop opportunity to the industry for new plastics solutions, facilitating materials and process selection, and supporting design challenges throughout the supply chain.”

New Solutions on Display
Visitors to Booth 2A50 will see examples of how Lexan FST 9705 resin’s superior ductility and chemical resistance, available in a broad array of colors, can transform interior components such as stow bin trims and light valance applications. Since its introduction last year, Lexan FST 9705 resin has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the industry. It is increasingly being selected as the material of choice by manufacturers seeking a heat release material to meet Ohio State University (OSU) and flame, smoke, toxicity (FST) standards, while providing excellent colorability and processing.

In addition, SABIC Innovative Plastics will exhibit a wide range of thermoplastic composite solutions, developed through various industry alliances, including examples of TenCate B.V.’s Cetex® PEI laminate and Tubus Bauer’s PEI Honeycomb core. As an expansion of SABIC Innovative Plastics’ portfolio in the composites arena, the company will also preview an Ultem foam core solution which provides outstanding heat resistance and FST resin performance for applications from luggage bins and partition walls to flooring and radomes. These exciting developments build upon SABIC Innovative Plastics’ own resin processes and technologies to offer new solutions in composite panels and structures.