3M
- Company typePublic
- Founded1902
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
3M firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 3M
- Legal name
- 3M Company
- Website
- https://www.3m.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1902
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where 3M is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
3M business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Industrial Product Sales: One-time and recurring product sales across industrial, safety, transportation, electronics, energy, and manufacturing segments. Includes adhesives, abrasives, advanced materials, filtration, electrical products, and PPE sold through direct sales and channel partners globally.
- Consumer Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of branded products including Scotch, Post-it, Scotch-Brite, Command, Filtrete, Nexcare, FUTURO, ACE, and Scotchgard, sold through e-commerce (3M.com), retail stores, and authorized distributors.
- Licensing and Royalty Income: Licensing of proprietary technology platforms and brand royalties, particularly from the 49 technology platform portfolio spanning specialty chemistry, materials science, and proprietary manufacturing processes.
- Joint Venture Income (Scott Safety/Madison Fire & Rescue): Income from 50.1% stake in new fire and safety joint venture formed with Bain Capital by combining Scott Safety (spun off from 3M) with Madison Fire & Rescue, with 3M receiving $700 million in cash proceeds from the spinoff.
- Professional Services and Technical Support: Application engineering, technical consultation, and customized solutions for industrial customers, including AI-powered technical support (Ask 3M), design consultation, and on-site application engineering across global operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based / contract pricing for industrial customers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unit pricing for consumer products |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Subscription-style recurring product supply for industrial accounts |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels6 records
3M product offering
Product offeringCore offering
3M is a diversified global manufacturer that develops and sells industrial and consumer products across 49 proprietary technology platforms. Its offerings span adhesives, sealants and fillers, abrasives, advanced materials (ceramics, glass bubbles, fluorochemicals), filtration and separation products, electronics materials and components, automotive parts, safety equipment and PPE, and iconic consumer brands (Post-it, Scotch, Scotch-Brite, Command, Filtrete, Nexcare, ACE, 3M PELTOR). 3M serves both industrial/enterprise customers (automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, government) via direct sales and channel partners, and individual consumers via 3M.com e-commerce and retail storefronts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Post-it: Repositionable notes and stationery product franchise, introduced in 1968.
- Scotch
- Scotch-Brite
- Scotchgard
- Command
- ACE
- Filtrete
- FUTURO
- Nexcare
- 3M PELTOR
- 3M VHB
- 3M Cubitron II
- 3M Bondo
- 3M DBI-SALA
- 3M Diamond Grade
- 3M DI-NOC
- 3M E-A-R
- 3M PPS
- 3M Pro Grade Precision
- 3M PROTECTA
- 3M SandBlaster
- 3M Scotchlite
- 3M Scotch-Weld
- 3M Scott
- 3M Speedglas
- 3M Trizact
- 3M Xtract
Products and services
- Post-it Notes Repositionable sticky notes and stationery products sold under the Post-it brand, introduced in 1968 and now a flagship consumer product franchise for office, school, and home use.
- Scotch Tape Pressure-sensitive tapes and adhesive products sold under the Scotch brand for consumer and industrial use, including Scotch Painter's Tape (ScotchBlue) masking products.
- Scotch-Brite Cleaning Products Cleaning and scouring products including sponges, scouring pads, and surface conditioning products for household and commercial use.
- Command Adhesive Strips Damage-free hanging and mounting products including adhesive strips and hooks for home and office organization.
- Filtrete Air Filters Filtration products for indoor air quality including HVAC air filters for residential and commercial use.
- Nexcare Bandages and First Aid First-aid and wound-care products including bandages for personal health care applications.
- ACE Bandages Consumer bandages and sports medicine products including compression wraps and supports.
- 3M PELTOR Hearing Protection and Communication Hearing protection and tactical communications products including ComTac VI Tactical Headsets supplied to NASA Artemis II crewed spaceflight mission.
- 3M VHB Tape Very High Bond double-sided acrylic foam tape for industrial bonding applications replacing mechanical fasteners.
- 3M Cubitron II Abrasives Engineered abrasive grain products for metalworking, grinding, and surface finishing in industrial applications.
- 3M Scotch-Weld Structural Adhesives Structural adhesives and epoxy adhesives product line for industrial bonding applications.
- 3M Diamond Grade Reflective Sheeting Retroreflective sheeting for road safety and signage visibility applications.
- 3M DI-NOC Architectural Finishes Architectural surface finishes for interior and exterior design applications.
- 3M DBI-SALA Fall Protection Fall protection equipment for working at heights in industrial and construction applications.
- 3M Speedglas Welding Helmets Welding helmets and auto-darkening filters for industrial welding applications.
- 3M Trizact Abrasives Structured abrasive products for finishing applications in industrial manufacturing.
- 3M Bondo Body Repair Automotive body repair products including fillers, fiberglass repair, and scratch removal products.
- 3M Nextel Ceramic Fibers Proprietary ceramic fiber technology (Nextel 312, 720, AF series fabrics, tapes, sleeving) used in aerospace, nuclear, and high-temperature applications.
- 3M Glass Bubbles and Ceramic Microspheres Proprietary glass bubble/ceramic microsphere technology (K15HSN, S22, S32, S35, S38, iM16K, iM30K, HGS series) used as lightweight fillers and for high-pressure applications.
- 3M Scotchkote Epoxy Coatings Fusion-bonded epoxy coating technology (FBE 206N, 226N, 134, 413, 6233 series) and liquid epoxy coatings for pipeline corrosion protection.
- 3M Industrial Sealing Tape IS1 A tape-based sealing solution with non-permeable membrane and acrylic adhesive, conformable for tight spaces, with high-strength adhesion to fiberglass/metal/wood substrates and temperature resilience from -40°F to 240°F, offering an alternative to slower-curing liquid sealants in construction and industrial assembly.
- Ask 3M AI Digital Assistant AI-powered digital assistant that provides industrial customers with self-service access to 3M's technical expertise for industrial adhesives and tapes, allowing users to compare products, evaluate materials, and troubleshoot application challenges using plain-language queries.
- The Next Gear Automotive Digital Platform Interactive digital platform showcasing 3M technologies and materials for the automotive industry, covering the vehicle lifecycle from design and manufacturing to repair and end-of-life, consolidating solutions for electrification, lightweighting, and software-defined vehicles.
Quantifiable outcome
- Q1 2026 revenue of $6.03 billion with adjusted EPS up 14% year-over-year
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use 3M
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
3M technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability1 record
Feature9 records
3M partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Meta, AMD, Oracle, Arista Networkscore3M joined a coalition of 18 leading technology companies to establish a new multi-source agreement (MSA) focused on advancing open, interoperable specifications for Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) connectivity in AI infrastructure. The MSA includes AMD, Cisco, Meta, Oracle, and others, with the initial technical working group developing the first connector specification to support the rapid scaling of AI data centers.
- EVOLOHcoreEVOLOH and 3M are collaborating on a commercial-scale pilot project to deploy EVOLOH's S440 2.5-megawatt hydrogen electrolyzer system at a 3M manufacturing facility in California, planned for 2027. The project aims to validate the technology in an industrial environment and qualify for the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, involving a joint pilot program to gather performance data using renewable power sources.
- NASAflagship3M is supplying its PELTOR ComTac VI Tactical Headsets and liquid hydrogen tank insulation materials to NASA's Artemis II crewed spaceflight mission, marking an expansion of 3M technology into crewed spaceflight applications beyond its traditional industrial uses. 3M also provides headsets for NASA's Artemis II mission and partners with NASA for STEM education.
- JetZerominor3M is investing in aerospace innovation with JetZero as part of 3M's broader strategy of strategic collaboration activities in aerospace and next-generation aircraft technology.
- Cognex Corporationcore3M is a customer and early adopter of Cognex OneVision, a cloud-to-edge AI vision development platform for scaling AI-powered inspection in manufacturing. 3M, along with Essity and Schneider Electric, cited as a customer achieving significant improvements including development time reductions from a year to a day, doubled yield, and up to 50% reduction in scaling costs.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)core3M is an enterprise customer/adopter of Amazon Quick (AWS), a workplace AI assistant that connects across enterprise application stacks. Adoption was highlighted by AWS VP Jigar Thakkar at the AWS Summit in Mumbai as an example of global enterprise AI agent deployment. AWS has reached a $15 billion annual revenue run rate for AI services as of Q1 2026.
- Amazon (Amazon Supply Chain Services)core3M is an early enterprise customer of Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS), using Amazon's logistics network for freight, distribution, fulfillment, and parcel shipping across its supply chain operations. ASCS launched in May 2026 with 3M, Procter & Gamble, Lands' End, and American Eagle Outfitters as initial customers, leveraging Amazon's 80,000+ trailers, 24,000+ intermodal containers, and 100+ aircraft.
- Xi'an Municipal Government / China Dailycore3M China participated in the 'CEO: Grow with China' roundtable hosted by China Daily under guidance of the Xi'an Municipal Government, discussing China's shift toward 'new quality productive forces' and advanced manufacturing. 3M plans over 30 percent growth in new product launches in China this year compared to 2025, deepening local operations in Xi'an as a critical hub.
- PGA Tour (3M Open)minor3M sponsors the 3M Open PGA Tour golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler committed to play in the 2026 3M Open, scheduled for July 23-26, the week after the British Open.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
3M competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Emerson Electric: Industrial automation and process management conglomerate with adjacent exposure to manufacturing automation, filtration monitoring, and safety; both companies invest in AI-driven industrial inspection (Emerson via NI, 3M via Cognex).
- Stanley Black & Decker: Industrial/consumer branded tools and fasteners manufacturer with similar dual exposure to industrial OEM customers and branded DIY/retail; comparable in balancing margin recovery programs with consumer brand monetization.
- Eaton Corporation: Diversified industrial manufacturer with electrical, vehicle, and aerospace exposure that overlaps with 3M's electrical products, automotive OEM supply, and aerospace/energy adjacencies.
- Honeywell International: Diversified industrial conglomerate with overlapping performance materials, specialty chemicals, safety, and advanced materials exposure; comparable in scale, breadth, and self-help productivity narrative to 3M's industrial portfolio.
- Illinois Tool Works (ITW): Diversified industrial manufacturer with similar operating model emphasis on margin expansion, decentralized business units, and engineered fasteners/components; comparable in scale and capital-return discipline to 3M.
- Parker Hannifin: Industrial conglomerate spanning motion/control, filtration, and engineered materials; competes with 3M in filtration/separation and industrial process technologies, with similar global manufacturing footprint.
Direct peers
- Avery Dennison: Specialty materials company in labels, adhesives, and reflective materials with direct product overlap to 3M's graphics, signage, reflective sheeting, and industrial tapes categories.
- DuPont: Specialty materials and electronics chemicals peer with overlapping exposure to semiconductor materials, adhesives, and filtration; DuPont also navigates PFAS legacy liability, making it a directly comparable peer for 3M's specialty materials and litigation dynamics.
- Henkel: Global adhesives, sealants, and consumer brands company with direct overlap to 3M's industrial adhesives (Loctite, Pattex) and consumer brands; comparable business mix between B2B specialty and branded consumer.
- CoorsTek: Technical/advanced ceramics manufacturer directly comparable to 3M's Nextel ceramics, silicon nitride, and glass bubble materials franchise serving aerospace, semiconductor, and energy customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
3M social profiles
Digital presence3M financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
3M leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
3M subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
3M funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
3M M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A75 records
Investments15 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 3M
What does 3M do?
3M is a diversified global manufacturer that develops and sells industrial and consumer products across 49 proprietary technology platforms. Its offerings span adhesives, sealants and fillers, abrasives, advanced materials (ceramics, glass bubbles, fluorochemicals), filtration and separation products, electronics materials and components, automotive parts, safety equipment and PPE, and iconic consumer brands (Post-it, Scotch, Scotch-Brite, Command, Filtrete, Nexcare, ACE, 3M PELTOR). 3M serves both industrial/enterprise customers (automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, government) via direct sales and channel partners, and individual consumers via 3M.com e-commerce and retail storefronts.
Is 3M a public or private company?
3M is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was 3M founded?
3M was founded in 1902. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is 3M based?
3M is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does 3M make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Industrial Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are consumer Product Sales, licensing and Royalty Income, joint Venture Income (Scott Safety/Madison Fire & Rescue) and professional Services and Technical Support.
Who are 3M's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Emerson Electric, Stanley Black & Decker, Eaton Corporation, Honeywell International, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Parker Hannifin. Direct peers are Avery Dennison, DuPont, Henkel and CoorsTek.
Does 3M have an API?
No public API is recorded for 3M.