SHD, a specialist in composites manufacturing, has joined Ecosuite, a UK initiative to develop next‑generation business class and first-class aircraft seating through sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing.
SHD will contribute to the programme with its composites expertise and its FR308 product, which is a bio‑based, fully FST‑compliant resin system for aircraft interiors, derived from a waste stream of cane sugar production.
FR308, reinforced with 300gsm glass fibre, is engineered to be offer health and safety advantages over traditional phenolic prepregs. Its bio‑based formulation, which is free from formaldehyde, phenol, and organic solvents, contributes to a reduced carbon footprint.
FR308 is supported by a detailed cradle-to-gate analysis covering raw material sourcing to material dispatch, making it’s a low-carbon material choice for aircraft interiors applications such as seating.
The Ecosuite project secured £4,368,081 of programme funding from Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) at the 2025 Paris Airshow, marking ATI’s first direct investment in aircraft seating. This support, applied through Innovate UK and the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, is intended to reinforce the UK’s aerospace ambitions and support the ATI’s Destination Zero strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The project is scheduled to run from November 2024 to October 2027.
UK project partners in the EcoSuite consortium include Safran Seats GB (led partner), Hive Composites Ltd, Piran Technology Group, Indestructible Paint, AMRC, NCC – Innovating for Industry, and SHD Composite Materials. The University of Bristol is an academic partner.
