Bottom 3M: The Mask Maker Who Made The Wheel.

The new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic has put the "Mask" on the hot search, making it the 2020 most popular "new year product". When it comes to masks, the brand you first think of is 3M.

According to the US consumer news and business channel website, Mike Roman, CEO of industry giant 3M, said in January 28th that the company is increasing the production of respirators and other respiratory protective products to meet the needs of the outbreak of the new coronavirus. "We will devote ourselves to production. We will produce 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." Roman also said that 3M's factories in China are in full operation.

This news is inspiring, but it also deepens a misunderstanding in the public: 3M is a company that produces masks.

In fact, the mask is only a very small business in the 3M Empire, so that even the earnings report will not disclose the sales volume of the mask.

As a company with a market value of nearly US $100 billion, 3M covers industries, chemicals, electronics, electrical, communications, transportation, automotive, aviation, medical, safety, architecture, cultural and educational offices, commercial and household consumer goods.

It can not be denied that 3M has penetrated into every aspect of people's lives. From transparent tapes, convenience tapes to tapes, projection systems, even the reflective signs on freeway and thermal insulation materials in ski suits, all of them originate from the invention of 3M.

3M once said: "(people) get up every day, within 3 meters will be able to see 3M products.

In fact, masks are only one of nearly 70000 products developed by 3M. At present, 3M's products cover many fields such as household products, medical supplies, transportation, construction, commerce, education, electronics and communications. It is no exaggeration to say that 50% of the world's people are exposed to 3M products directly or indirectly every day.

Make a wheel

In 1902, when the American gold rush was drawing to a close, 5 young people from Minnesota gathered together to see the rich iron ore in the area and decided to invest in a mining company, mining ore for grinding wheels. The company was named Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co, the three word is the beginning of M, and this is the origin of the name "3M", Mining.

5 young people who did not know the mining industry at all, had a bad time in the 10 year grinding wheel. The world never lacks the story of the Jedi life. When 3M company can't keep up with it, a man named William McNight is coming. He also built a laboratory. After that, 3M learned to turn around and start sandpaper.

In 1914, 3M launched exclusive abrasive paper, which made 3M truly on the right track. Subsequently, 3M's early technological and marketing innovations began to succeed, such as inventing waterproof sandpaper and reducing dust pollution during the automobile manufacturing process, which is very popular in the market.

At this point, sandpaper became the first fist product of 3M.

The second fist product is tape, which is also a new turning point for 3M.

In 1925, employee Richard Drew invented a kind of isolation tape, and then invented transparent tape on the basis of it. Up to now, nearly 400 kinds of adhesive tape and adhesive have been invented by 3M. It is worth mentioning that many of the high-end leather shoes are made of vulnerable sheep skin. 3M has seen business opportunities, and has made sole protective stickers for such high-end leather shoes. It is estimated that many people will not think that when they use this kind of sticker, they and 3M masks are made by a company.

After finding the rhythm, 3M opened all the way, invented the reflective film on the highway logo, recording tapes, convenient stickers, no trace hook, scouring pad, projection system and so on.

Another subversive invention of 3M is convenience stickers. The story behind it is more dramatic.

In the 70s of last century, Spence Silver, a R & D scientist at 3M, tried to invent a very strong adhesive, but unexpectedly, he produced a sticky gel. Although this adhesive is not very viscous, the advantage is that it can be reused. Silver thought about it and did not know where it could be used.

However, each invention is like its own "child". Silver did not give up, and firmly believed that this glue had its potential. So he held talks with his research and development colleagues.

It is so skillful that one of the research and development staff involved in the conference is a keen member of choir. A few days later, when he was practicing hymns in the church, he was very upset because the slips that used to mark the pages of the poem were always falling. At this point, his aura comes to light. Silver's weak glue may solve this problem.

As a result, convenient posts were born. And this seemingly little technological gadget has changed the way people record things to a certain extent.

Even worse, in 1940s, 3M produced defense materials for World War II. Today, the IHPS combat helmet used by the US Army is the product of 3M.

Step by step, 3M has expanded its scope of research, including pharmaceuticals, Radiology, energy control, immune response modifiers, brightening films for electronic displays, and flexible circuits. Omnipotent.

Some innovative inventions are amazing: the disposable washroom cleaning brush with built-in bleach, the Scotch Fur Fighter used to remove the pet pet hair, the 3MLittmann3200 type electronic stethoscope for hair cleaning and the wireless transmission of cardiopulmonary and other body organs using Bluetooth technology.

In 1984, William McNight put forward a "15% rule". According to this rule, 3M's developers can spend 15% of their working time each week on what they are interested in.

In addition to working hard at work, 3M has fully implemented the motto that "failure is the mother of success", encouraging employees to make mistakes and finding better inspiration through continuous mistakes, rewarding the best creative employees 100 thousand dollars a year.

As a company of 118 years, the 3M has got more than 10000 patents, and now there are more than 70000 products.

In Forbes's global innovation company, 3M ranked third, and apple and Google were ahead of him.

3M industry chain

In constant innovation, 3M has grown into a company with nearly US $100 billion in market capitalization.

3M has four main business sectors, namely, safety and industrial products, transportation and electronics, medical health and consumer goods. The four sectors earned a net profit of 970 million dollars for 3M in the four quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the revenues of these four sectors were 2 billion 811 million US dollars, 2 billion 290 million US dollars, 2 billion 140 million US dollars and 1 billion 270 million US dollars respectively. Among them, the growth of medical and health business was the fastest, with a year-on-year growth rate of 25.4%.

It is worth noting that the mask is attributable to consumer goods, and sales have little impact on 3M performance. However, 3M accounts for 90% of China's mask market.

How to make 3M mask king?

3M has been producing masks for over 50 years.

In 1967, with the know-how of non-woven fabrics and electrostatic fiber filters, 3M began to consider the production of dust respirators to help workers in mining, smelting and other industries cope with the harsh occupational environment.

17 years later, 3M China Limited was incorporated and became the first wholly foreign-owned enterprise in China established outside the special economic zone. At the same time, 3M began selling industrial safety masks to domestic factories, and customers also came from heavy industries such as minerals, steel and shipyards.

For many years, 3M has little sense of existence among Chinese ordinary consumer groups.

Everything changed in 2003. During the period of SARS, many medical staff used masks, protective clothing and medical disinfectant water were 3M. In the hearts of ordinary people, medical professionals represent professionalism and authority. Therefore, the masks they used naturally became the reassurance of everyone.

However, although SARS has made 3M brand image in the minds of consumers, it really is the haze after 10 years.

In 2013, haze swept across the country. The public recognized the power of PM2.5 at once, and the only way to do that was to go out and wear masks.

At this point, 3M seized the opportunity to send all the masks from factories in other areas to China. Because of the "seeds" planted in SARS, many consumers did not hesitate to choose 3M when the haze suddenly began to rise. That year, 3M sold $100 million masks in China, and the total sales volume of 3M in China was $3 billion.

Data show that before the 2003 SARS, almost all of the 3M masks in China were industrial users. After SARS was used for retail sales, or the share of civilian sales increased slowly by 20%, but after 2013, the buying force of 3M masks in China began to turn to the general public in large numbers.

With the first two "implants", the 3M developed by civil masks quickly consumed 9 of China's market share. Later, domestic manufacturers responded, even though the technology content is very close to 3M, but still can not grab more shares from 3M. At present, the green shield, the largest producer in China, accounts for only 5% of the total.

During the Spring Festival this year, the demand for mask increased dramatically under the outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia. The 3M mask was still the "industry standard" and became the preferred brand of the public.

Domestic brands can hardly shake the position of 3M in Chinese minds in a short time.

After that, in the minds of many Chinese, 3M became a mask maker. But in fact, this is a misunderstanding.

Chemical industry is closely related to life.

Over the past few weeks, the outbreak of a new crown pneumonia outbreak has completely subverted the normal life of the whole nation, and the rising number of confirmed and fatal figures is worrying. Masks, protective clothing and other protective materials are also the most scarce items in medical work. Polypropylene high melt index non-woven fabric special material is the best choice for masks materials. The supply of chemical raw materials is one of the keys to determine the productivity of masks. Chemical industry not only serves our daily necessities, but also supports our country and the world's major engineering projects. In the past, many impossible things were possible because of the chemical industry.