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1910–1919
Surviving the Tough Times
Halley's comet flashed across the sky. This was the era of the Titanic, a worldwide influenza epidemic, World War I and Isadora Duncan.
3M moved from Duluth, Minn., to St. Paul, Minn. William L. McKnight, now sales manager, encouraged 3M sales representatives to get into their customers' shops and talk with the workers who actually used 3M abrasives. This "customer research" led to many product and service improvements.
 Following a nearly disastrous quality problem, 3M invested $500 in a tiny laboratory. It was a lot of money for the young company, but a wise step toward ensuring quality control and an early investment in research and development.
3M™ Three-M-ite™ Abrasive Cloth was 3M's first "exclusive" product. With its flexibility and metal-cutting superiority, it became a best seller with automakers and repair shops. In 1916, 3M was free of debt and paid its first dividend. "There are a lot of people who thought we'd never make it," said Edgar Ober, president. By 1917, 3M sales reached $1 million. The company was poised for real growth.
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