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3M COMPANY
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
PART I
Item 1. Business.
3M Company was incorporated in 1929 under the laws of the State of Delaware to continue operations begun in 1902.
The Company’s ticker symbol is MMM. As used herein, the term “3M” or “Company” includes 3M Company and its
subsidiaries unless the context indicates otherwise. In this document, for any references to Note 1 through Note 17, refer
to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.
Available Information
The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding
issuers, including the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any documents that the
Company files with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The Company files annual reports, quarterly reports, proxy statements
and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Exchange Act). The public may read and copy any materials that the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s Public
Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of
the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
3M also makes available free of charge through its website (http://investor.3M.com) the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and, if applicable, amendments to those
reports filed or furnished pursuant to the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company
electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC.
General
3M is a diversified technology company with a global presence in the following businesses: Industrial and Transportation;
Health Care; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and
Communications. 3M is among the leading manufacturers of products for many of the markets it serves. Most 3M
products involve expertise in product development, manufacturing and marketing, and are subject to competition from
products manufactured and sold by other technologically oriented companies.
At December 31, 2012, the Company employed 87,677 people (full-time equivalents), with 34,746 employed in the United
States and 52,931 employed internationally.
Business Segments
In 2012, 3M managed its operations in six operating business segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care;
Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and Communications.
3M’s six business segments bring together common or related 3M technologies, enhancing the development of innovative
products and services and providing for efficient sharing of business resources. These segments have worldwide
responsibility for virtually all 3M product lines. Certain small businesses and lab-sponsored products, as well as various
corporate assets and expenses, are not attributed to the business segments. Financial information and other disclosures
relating to 3M’s business segments and operations in major geographic areas are provided in the Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements.
Consistent with 3M’s strategy of building relevance and presence in the marketplace, the Company announced in October
2012 that it was immediately beginning to align resources and management toward a new structure comprised of five
business groups: Consumer; Industrial; Health Care; Safety and Graphics; and Electronics and Energy. The company’s
operating results were managed on the basis of its existing segment structure through 2012, with the intention that results
be managed under the new alignment once it is fully effective in the first quarter of 2013.
Industrial and Transportation Business: The Industrial and Transportation segment serves a broad range of markets, such
as automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and automotive aftermarket (auto body shops and retail),
renewable energy, electronics, paper and packaging, food and beverage, and appliance. Industrial and Transportation
products include tapes, a wide variety of coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration
products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and