MINNESOTA MINING & MANUFACTURING COMPANY

(3M) diversified American corporation manufacturing a wide range of products, including abrasives, adhesive tape and related products, videocassettes, carbonless paper, and computer-synthesized graphics. It is headquartered in St. Paul, Minn. The company was incorporated under its present name in 1902, and its first product was sandpaper. 3M grew steadily, adding waterproof sandpaper, adhesive cellophane tape, masking tape, and desktop copiers, among other goods, to its product line. The company is divided into four market groupselectronics and information technologies; graphics technologies, including graphic arts and services and products; industrial and consumer technologies, including photographic films and adhesive tapes; and life sciences, with health-care products and services. The company is notable among diversified American corporations for its growth by largely internal means rather than by means of large-scale acquisitions.