Richard "Dick" Drew was a banjo picker who aspired to graduate from college. He studied two quarters of engineering at the University of Minnesota, but his love of music - and the late nights - got in the way. No scientist yet, he earned his keep by playing banjo.
In 1921, Dick tried for a job advertised in the local paper. His answer to the ad was straightforward and simple - he was eager to work. Ninety years later, you will still find the work he inspired in homes and offices around the world.
An Unlikely Scientist
Richard "Dick" Drew was a banjo picker who aspired to graduate from college. He studied two quarters of engineering at the University of Minnesota, but his love of music - and the late nights - got in the way. No scientist yet, he earned his keep by playing banjo.
In 1921, Dick tried for a job advertised in the local paper. His answer to the ad was straightforward and simple - he was eager to work. Ninety years later, you will still find the work he inspired in homes and offices around the world.
Dick's job at 3M was to sample products at body-paint shops. That's where he overheard complaints about creating two-tone lines on cars, which were quite popular, but by no means easy. Henry Ford once said, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it's black." The existing two-tone technique required covering parts of the car to avoid exposing them to the second color of paint. The method was quite messy, and 3M didn't make tape at the time. Self-adhering tape didn't exist, and other available tapes had to be moistened to stick. Upon removal, the tapes left a gummy residue or, worse, stripped the paint from the car.
Dick's job at 3M was to sample products at body-paint shops. That's where he overheard complaints about creating two-tone lines on cars, which were quite popular, but by no means easy. Henry Ford once said, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it's black." The existing two-tone technique required covering parts of the car to avoid exposing them to the second color of paint. The method was quite messy, and 3M didn't make tape at the time. Self-adhering tape didn't exist, and other available tapes had to be moistened to stick. Upon removal, the tapes left a gummy residue or, worse, stripped the paint from the car.
3M Company is an industrial group organized around four product families:
- industrial products, safety and graphics materials (33.5% of net sales including intra-group): abrasive products, adhesives, cleaners, air and liquid filtration systems, anti-slip coating products, fire protection systems, road signage products, etc. The group also provides display equipment and graphics systems;
- electronics and energy products (26%): interconnection products, connectors, optical components, etc.;
- healthcare products (25.1%): orthopedic, chirurgical and respiratory materials, feminine hygiene products, dental products, etc.;
- consumer goods (15.4%): adhesive tape, self-adhesive papers, filters, projectors, screen supports, etc.
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Americas (56.2%), Asia/Pacific (25.9%), and Europe/Middle East/Africa (17.9%).
3M COMPANY 
