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The company was incorporated as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company in 1902, and its first product was sandpaper. 3M, as it became familiarly known, grew steadily, adding waterproof sandpaper, adhesive cellophane tape, masking tape, and desktop photocopiers, among other goods, to its product line. In the early 21st century the company, which formally adopted its nickname in 2002, produced materials designed to enhance visual displays and graphics in items such as highway road signs and liquid crystal display (LCD) screens; manufactured consumer and office products, including adhesive tape and note paper; and developed products that facilitated electronic communications and data transmissions. Having entered the health care market in the 1950s with a special adhesive for a surgical drape, 3M continued to develop surgical, dental, and orthodontic products as well as pharmaceuticals. The firm also designs and manufactures materials used in tamperproof packaging and develops methods for assuring the security of documents such as driverâs licenses. Its products are manufactured in more than 100 plants worldwide.
The company is notable among diversified American corporations for its growth by largely internal means rather than by means of large-scale acquisitions.
