Use of light-but-durable shims help the Airbus A380 double-decker airliner shed 17.5 lb/plane. The Superjumbo jet will take off weighing more than 1.2 million lb. But every pound carries a premium.

Laminated shims come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Laminated shims can be peeled down, layer by layer, until they are the proper thickness. Intercomposite is a proprietary Spirol material made of ...