After years of focusing on the highly specialist, low-volume premium cabin market, plastic surrounds specialist Sekisui SPI is switching its focus to economy class.

“Our business model continues to evolve,” says president Ronn Cort, noting that the US-based, Japanese-owned company has won several new economy seat manufacturers as customers in recent years, including Acro, Geven, Lift by Encore, and Mirus.

Applications for Sekisui’s Kydex Thermoplastics-branded structures include economy seatback shells, which the company can offer in different designs and colours, all under one part number. The “infused imaging” product won a Crystal Cabin award in 2016.

“Chemically, they are all the same, so the part number doesn’t change,” says Cort. “Airlines who are trying to segment the back of the aircraft ask us how they can do this without creating a regulatory nightmare.”

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Source: Flight Daily News