3M Company, founded in 1902 as a small mining venture in Minnesota, has grown into a Fortune 500 science and manufacturing conglomerate operating in over 70 countries with more than 90,000 employees. The company develops and manufactures products across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, electronics, consumer goods, automotive, safety, and energy.
The company's technical foundation rests on 49 distinct technology platforms spanning disciplines such as adhesives, abrasives, ceramics, and nanotechnology. This breadth of expertise has produced a portfolio of over 100,000 patents and a product catalogue that includes both industrial solutions and widely recognised consumer items such as Post-it Notes, Scotch Tape, and Command Strips. Roughly one-third of 3M's sales come from products introduced within the previous five years.
3M's research and development operations are central to its business model. The company applies science across its technology platforms to address challenges in manufacturing, healthcare, safety, and everyday consumer use, translating laboratory work into products deployed at scale globally.
