Floor Pads FAQ

What changes/improvements have been made to the floor pads?
Why have these improvements been made to the floor pads now?
How do 3M pads compare to the competition on these issues?
How do these changes improve the performance of the 3M pads?
What differentiated solutions do we provide that should be emphasized when selling to customers in each of the following markets?
How can the new pads be identified from the older ones?

What changes/improvements have been made to the floor pads?

Our manufacturing plant, as part of a continuous improvement process, has made it possible for us to deliver an even more consistent product than ever before. This means that in addition to being the current global floor pad leader we will continue to add value to our floor pad offering in several subtle but important ways.

Increased uniformity of the basic construction as evidenced by improved thickness control and increased non-woven web consistency. Each pad will look more uniform without edge to edge or pad to pad differences in thickness. This means customers will consistently receive pads that look as good as they perform without wobble or shortened life.
Improved pad roundness and center hole placement. Specifications have been tightened on the roundness and center hole placement of each pad. The manufacturing variation will be more closely controlled and minimized. More consistency can be expected in the placement of the center hole in a round pad. This means 3M floor pads will not contribute to machine vibration or have reduced life due to increased stress as they are spinning at high speed.

These improvements are expected to increase customer satisfaction and reduce complaints. The enhancing of our manufacturing technology platform will solidify our leadership position in non-wovens as advances in floor care technology present new product opportunities in the future.

Why have these improvements been made to the floor pads now?

3M is dedicated to continuing and improving its position as the global market leader in floor pads. As the hard floor care market continues to develop with more sophisticated equipment, cleaning chemicals and floor finishes it is critical that we keep pace with ongoing improvements to 3M Floor Pads. Our world class floor pad manufacturing facility has identified process improvements that improve the overall quality, consistency and performance of the product. Although they appear subtle, these product improvements further establish 3M as the top-performing product in the marketplace.

How do 3M pads compare to the competition on these issues?

3M pads provide the best performance and results. The chart below provides additional information.

Floor Pad Quality Characteristic	Competitive Floor Pads	3M Floor Pads
Knots & Clumps in Pads	(% of pads w/ defects) 3 - 5%	(% of pads w/ defects) 1 - 2%
Thickness	(variability in pad) .04"	(variability in pad) .02"
Roundness	(variability in pad) .08"	(variability in pad) .02"
Center-Hole Placement	(variability in pad) .06"	(variability in pad) .02"

How do these changes improve the performance of the 3M pads?

Although the changes to pads appears small, an improvement in the performance of the pad should be noticeable. The following chart indicates how the performance will be enhanced with each change.

Floor Pad Quality Characteristic	Resulting Performance Improvements	Benefit to End-User
Knots & Clumps in Pads	Eliminate scratching of floors Provides greater consistency throughout useful life of pad - Lasts longer	Better product consistency & gloss generation Saves money
Thickness	Less machine vibration (UHS) Less machine wobble (low speed) Less operator fatigue Provides greater consistency throughout useful life of pad - Lasts longer	Better product consistency & gloss generation Better product performance & utilization of labor Saves money
Roundness	Less machine vibration (UHS) Less machine wobble (low speed) Less operator fatigue Provides greater consistency throughout useful life of pad - Lasts longer	Better product consistency & gloss generation Better product performance & utilization of labor Saves money
Center-Hole Placement	Less machine vibration (UHS) Less machine wobble (low speed) Less operator fatigue Provides greater consistency throughout useful life of pad - Lasts longer	Better product consistency & gloss generation Better product performance & utilization of labor Saves money

What differentiated solutions do we provide that should be emphasized when selling to customers in each of the following markets?

MARKET	PRIMARY INTEREST / NEED	3M SOLUTION
Health Care	Little to no dust generation Limited access & time to care for floors in patient rooms Difficult to find blocks of time for general floor maintenance Product / SKU Consolidation Product ease-of-use & worker training	3M Eraser Pad Save time and reduce dust w/ 3M Nat. Blend Tan (NBT) used on damp floor w/ 3M cleaner (3-1 or neutral) Strip floors faster with 3M Hi Pro Stripping Pads, more effective in removing excess finish than Black Pads Floor care & mtce. can be standardized to 5 pads (Strip-Hi Pro, TopScrub-Blue, Daily Autoscrub-Topline Pre-burnish, Burnish-Eraser &/or NBT) 3M pads are easy to use, provide excellent results & are available with training programs
Building Service Contractors (BSC)	Labor savings Product / SKU Consolidation Product ease-of-use & worker training	3M Pads are designed for faster & more effective use (e.g.: Strip floors faster with 3M Hi Pro Stripping Pads, more effective in removing excess finish than Black Pads, Eraser Pads remove black marks on floors up to 6 times faster than other burnishing pads) Floor care & mtce. can be standardized to 4 pads (Strip-Hi Pro, TopScrub-Blue, Daily Autoscrub-Topline Pre-burnish, Burnish-Eraser or NBT) 3M pads are easy to use, provide excellent results & are available with training programs
Education	Lower overall costs (price) Product / SKU Consolidation Product ease-of-use & worker training	Coating throughout pad helps prolong useful life which helps reduce overall costs Floor care & mtce. can be standardized to 4 pads (Strip-Hi Pro, TopScrub-Blue, Daily Autoscrub-Topline Pre-burnish, Burnish-Eraser or NBT) 3M pads are easy to use, provide excellent results & are available with training programs
Retail	Little to no dust generation Product / SKU Consolidation Product ease-of-use & worker training	Eraser Pad Floor care & mtce. can be standardized to 4 pads (Strip-Hi Pro, TopScrub-Blue, Daily Autoscrub-Topline Pre-burnish, Burnish-Eraser, NBT or Aqua) 3M pads are easy to use, provide excellent results & are available with training programs

How can the new pads be identified from the older ones?

The easiest way to tell the new pads from the old will be by looking at the label. A "new & improved" sticker will be positioned on the outside label of the box to help identify the improved pads. You will also be able to see a slight visual improvement in web uniformity that can be seen when holding pads up and viewing through a light. For most pad types this difference will be subtle. The other improvements will only be apparent when comparing an old problem pad to a pad made using the new process.