Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Better known as 3M, the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, headquartered in St. Paul, is a conglomerate corporation that manufactures a wide array of products including: adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, dental products, electrical materials, electronic circuits and optical films. 3M employs approximately 75,000 employees in more than 60 countries.

History of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3M was founded in 1902 by Henry S. Bryan, Herman W. Cable, John Dwan, William A, McGonagle,and Dr. J. Danley Budd and incorporated that same year. It began as a seller of sandpaper made from imported Spanish garnet.

In 1916, 3M purchased its first laboratory and quickly began inventing new products in its newly-formed Research and Development department. Among the company's early inventions were waterproof sandpaper, masking tape, cellophane "Scotch" tape (3Mis iconic product), and sound-deadening materials for automobiles.

The company expanded greatly after World War II, opening many plants across the country. Around 1950, 3M went global, opening facilities in Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom. By 1951, international sales had already reached $20 million.

In the 1960s, 3M produced several models of magnetic tape recorders for instrumentation use and for studio sound recording and the company was involved with digital recording equipment by the end of the 1970s. One of its best known products, Post-It Notes, appeared in 1980.

Growth continued and the company's product line is still expanding, placing 3M as number 101 on the Fortune 500 list. Sales now total about $20 billion annually with international sales accounting for about 58 percent of that number.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing and Asbestos

One of the products 3M manufactured was dust masks that were used by many individuals in a variety of industries. The dust masks were supposed to prevent the inhalation of dangerous toxins, including asbestos dust. These masks have been the impetus for many suits against Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. Plaintiffs have alleged that the masks manufactured and marketed by 3M did not provide the protection that the company claimed in their marketing material, including filtering tiny asbestos particles. Many who wore the masks and worked with asbestos have developed asbestos-related diseases, including the cancer mesothelioma.The company also received much attention after their "Duct Tape" product was found to still contain asbestos in 2007.

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease as a result of work for 3M or working with any of their asbestos-contaminated products and would like to learn more about treatment options or financial assistance to help pay for treatment, please fill out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.