Historical Timeline
This section contains highlights, technological breakthroughs and company achievements from over 100 years of 3M history.
Click each decade to learn more:
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1970–1979
A New Era of Expansion
During the '70s, the war in Vietnam ended, Margaret Thatcher became Britain's prime minister, U.S.-Chinese diplomatic relations resumed and a Middle East peace conference took place.
  3M's technology base continued to expand — and so did its businesses. 3M employees continued to find new ways to fulfill customer needs. The innovative new products they produced held automotive parts in place, fastened diapers, provided backup security for computers, gave dentists new filling materials, helped keep buildings clean, helped prevent theft of library books, and made insulated clothing less bulky and more comfortable.
3M inaugurated Pollution Prevention Pays (3P), a program that encourages employees throughout the company to prevent pollution at the source. It led to large reductions in pollution and waste in 3M's products, processes and daily operations. In 1972, 3M sales passed the $2 billion mark; by 1979, sales topped $5 billion. More challenges and more growth lay ahead.
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