GE Ultem 9085 Resins for Lighter Weight Aircraft Interior Parts

Um, they make it....

http://www.jobwerx.com/news/gep-biz-948994-384.html

Maybe he's wondering if GE is finished with it? Or maybe he's pondering the abstract nature of corporations, and, in an existential sense, wants to know how we feel about the existence of a delegation of efforts and will known as a "corporate person," created by government rules, which is itself abstraction; as compared to a tangible product like plastic?

GE has a very large plastics division.

One example - Lexan is brand name of their polycarbonate moulding material.

GE manufactures and markets Ultem resins. The product is widely used for aircraft interiors due to its low smoke, toxicity and no flame support. In fact, the 9085 grade meets FAA flamibility rating FAR 25.853 A/B: <5 and performs quite well when tested according to OSU tests.

I always wonder why a 'guest' asks questions that are so open-ended. Why would one care to know this information? And, I'm equally intrigued and pleased that so many respond to such questions and build an interesting story. Ultem is, indeed, an extraordinary material and its use in aerospace applications is amazing.

Much has been written here about GE's broad-based business in plastic materials. Alas, GE has announced the potential sale of this US$8 billion business and it will very likely be sold in the year ahead. About 20 years ago, when the plastics industry was still growing strongly on a global basis and there were scores of suppliers, I heard an industry analyst comment that the day would come when GE and DuPont were the last two global firms involved in plastic materials. He based his forecast on the precipitous decline in patents being issued for new plastic materials.

There's quite a story here.

The sale is interesting - hadn't heard that.

I can only think that GE selling it's plastics division would be good for their customers. As a "long-time" user of Ultem 90xx plastics, I have found their leadtimes to be unbelieveable (>6 months for standard color - black in my case). With luck they will sell it to someone who cares.

Believe it or not, they are still claiming manufacturing shortages for a fire that occurred 6 years ago at the plant they use to make the stuff. It destroyed the plant but I gotta figure that after 6 years, even the most unenthusiastic of manufacturers would have a) fixed/rebuilt or b) got out of the business.

Typical of GE's relentless pursuit of profit over everything else. The ROI just isn't there in plastics compared to the profit that GE Financial pulls in. The other divisions had better get cracking or they'll be on the block as well.