Chemical Companies Supply Boeing 787

Two chemical companies are shipping materials to Boeing for use in the new 787 Dreamliner. The plane will be insulated with Basotect, BASF's sound-absorbing and heat-blocking melamine resin foam. BASF says it worked with Boeing to develop a new version of the foam that is 30% lighter than the conventional material. PPG Industries, meanwhile, has delivered Boeing its first shipment of electrochromic shades, which replace pull-down shades on the plane's windows. A first for passenger windows on commercial aircraft, the shades combine electrochromic technology from Gentex and metallic coating know-how from PPG.