About 3M Industrial Adhesives & Tapes
Pioneering adhesive technology and innovative bonding solutions for over a century. From securing space shuttles to everyday packaging, 3M delivers performance you can trust.
Pioneering adhesive technology and innovative bonding solutions for over a century. From securing space shuttles to everyday packaging, 3M delivers performance you can trust.
3M began in 1902 as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, founded by five businessmen in Two Harbors, Minnesota. What started as a modest mining venture transformed into a global innovation powerhouse.
Our adhesive tape division launched in 1925 with Scotch® Masking Tape, invented by 3M engineer Richard Drew to solve paint-bleeding problems in the automotive industry. This single innovation established our reputation for listening to customer needs and engineering practical solutions.
By 1930, we introduced Scotch® Cellophane Tape, responding to the Great Depression-era need for mending and repairing household items. This product alone generated $1 million in sales during its first year—a significant achievement during economic hardship.
The 1950s marked our international expansion, opening manufacturing facilities in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, and Mexico. Our "15% Culture" policy, introduced in 1948, allowed researchers to spend 15% of their time on projects of personal interest—a practice that led to breakthrough products like Post-it® Notes.
Throughout the 1960s-1980s, we developed VHB™ (Very High Bond) Tapes, revolutionizing construction and automotive assembly by replacing mechanical fasteners. NASA selected our adhesive systems for the Apollo missions, cementing our position in high-performance applications.
Today, 3M operates in over 70 countries with 93,000 employees, generating $34.2 billion in annual revenue (2023). Our Industrial Adhesives & Tapes Division serves automotive, aerospace, electronics, construction, and packaging industries with over 900 distinct product lines.
To improve lives through science-based innovations that solve real-world challenges in industrial bonding, surface protection, and materials science. We combine technical expertise with practical application knowledge to deliver solutions that enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability across global industries.
We invest 6% of annual revenue ($2 billion+) in R&D, maintaining 8,500+ active researchers across 128 technology platforms. Our innovation pipeline delivers 1,000+ new products annually.
ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing with Six Sigma quality standards. Every product undergoes rigorous testing—our VHB tapes endure 2,000+ hours of accelerated aging before release.
Our Technical Service Engineers average 12+ years industry experience. We co-develop custom adhesive formulations with automotive OEMs, reducing assembly time by 30-40% in proven applications.
Committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. We've reduced manufacturing emissions by 72% since 2002 and source 50% of electricity from renewables (2024). Our Scotch® Magic™ Tape dispenser uses 35% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Our 132 global manufacturing facilities operate with precision that measures in microns, producing 500+ million linear meters of adhesive tape annually.
Regional manufacturing centers in Germany (Neuss), China (Shanghai), and Brazil (Sumaré) ensure supply chain resilience with 99.4% on-time delivery rates. Our just-in-time inventory systems maintain 30-day stock levels while supporting same-week custom orders for volumes above 10,000 linear feet.
Company Founded
Five businessmen establish 3M in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Initial focus: mining corundum for sandpaper production. Despite early mineral quality challenges, the company pivots to manufacturing abrasives—a decision that shapes our problem-solving culture.
Adhesive Breakthrough
Engineer Richard Drew invents the first masking tape after observing auto painters struggling with paint bleed in two-tone paint jobs. This customer-driven innovation generates $500,000 in first-year sales and establishes 3M in the adhesive industry.
Cultural Innovation
President William McKnight formalizes the "15% Culture," allowing researchers to spend 15% of work time on self-directed projects. This policy directly leads to breakthrough innovations including Post-it® Notes (1977) and Scotchgard™ (1952).
Aerospace Achievement
NASA selects 3M adhesive systems for Apollo spacecraft construction. Over 100 different 3M products contribute to mission success, including heat-resistant tapes securing thermal shields and specialized adhesives bonding critical flight instruments.
Industrial Revolution
Introduction of Very High Bond (VHB) acrylic foam tapes. These products replace mechanical fasteners in automotive and construction applications, reducing assembly time by 40-60% while improving vibration resistance and aesthetics. Annual sales reach $100 million within five years.
Sustainability Commitment
Launch comprehensive sustainability initiative targeting 25% reduction in emissions and 10% renewable energy by 2010. Achieved 30% emission reduction by 2008, preventing 2.4 billion pounds of pollutants while saving $1.4 billion through efficiency improvements.
Digital Manufacturing
Deployment of machine learning systems across 47 manufacturing facilities, reducing waste by 23% and increasing precision coating accuracy to ±2 microns. Predictive maintenance algorithms achieve 99.1% uptime across critical production equipment.
Years of Innovation
Global Employees
Countries Served
Annual Revenue (2023)
Active Researchers
Products
Manufacturing Facilities
Technology Platforms
3M holds 25,000+ active patents globally. Our adhesive technologies are specified in 85% of automotive OEM assembly processes and used in 47 of the Fortune 50 companies' manufacturing operations.
Our commitment to quality extends beyond products to encompass environmental stewardship, workplace safety, and ethical business practices verified by international standards organizations.
Quality Management System certified across all 132 manufacturing facilities. Annual surveillance audits maintain compliance with zero major non-conformances since 2015.
Environmental Management System reducing operational impact. Achieved 72% emission reduction since baseline year (2002) while increasing production volume 3.4x.
Automotive Quality Management System certification. Suppliers to 23 major automotive OEMs with defect rates averaging 12 PPM (parts per million).
Full compliance with EU REACH regulations. Product formulations exclude all 235 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) listed as of January 2024.
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Leading 3M since 2018 with focus on portfolio optimization, digital transformation, and sustainability. Previously served as COO and led Industrial Business Group achieving 22% margin improvement.
Chief Technology Officer
PhD in Materials Science from MIT. Leads 8,500+ researchers across 128 technology platforms. Championed AI integration in R&D, reducing new product development cycles by 35%.
VP Global Operations - Adhesives Division
28 years at 3M. Oversees 47 manufacturing facilities producing adhesive products. Implemented Lean Six Sigma programs achieving 99.4% on-time delivery and 23% waste reduction since 2020.