I like 3M products. I absolutely adore those colorful 3M Post-its, the cool magic Scotch tapes, and even those dependable and trusty 3M car tints. But, apparently, these things are only the tip of the iceberg of 3M's long line of products. They own and manufacture a whole slew of technological breakthroughs which they distribute to both consumers and other businesses. I learned all of these  (and more) when they invited me and several bloggers to the The 3M Experience: Innovation Tour two Wednesdays ago at the 3M Technical Center in Makati City.

We were treated to a tour - similar to an educational field trip in school - featuring 10  unique methods rooms that showcase 3M's practical solutions at home, in the market place and on-the-go. We were grouped into three and began the tour after a very delicious and sumptuous feast by Conti's :).

Our guide, the ever cheerful Ros Grapa of 3M's Automotive Aftermarket Division, led us first to the very fun Consumer and Office Methods Room.  This is probably the favorite stop of the bloggers because we are very familiar with the products that were featured; and we were treated to a shopping spree on 3M's office brands like Post-it and Scotch, home care products like Scotch Brite and Command, and consumer health product, Nexcare. 3M truly has so many home and office products which makes our home and office life easier and more convenient.



The 3M Shopping Experience was a dream come true to Post-it lovers like me!
Want me to raffle some?



3M associates help bloggers in the Consumer & Office Methods Room



The Post-it section

One of the methods room that I really like and can relate to is the Automotive Aftermarket Methods Room. Before I became a Telco & Social Media girl, I spent the early part of my career life in the automotive industry and is quite familiar with the 3M products on this segment. An actual garage with a car was set-up to help explain the many uses of 3M offerings and maintenance for your car. The most popular products they have for cars (for me, anyway) are their tints and rustproofing system. Aside from this, they also have stuff for car aesthetics and DIY products like scratch removers, paint protectors, buffing & polishing pads, engine cleaners and even car mats. 3M is truly the one-stop brand of choice for after-market maintenance and care for your car. Most of their products are available in car dealers, paint centers, hardware centers like Handyman and ACE Hardware, and leading service shops like Goodyear Servitek.



Automotive Aftermarket Methods Room



3M Car Maintenance Products



3M's Rustproofing Products

Another favorite methods room of mine is the Dental (3M ESPE) Methods Room. I was really surprised to learn that 3M is also very much involved in developing dental solutions. We learned several stuff including how nanotechnology helped 3M in building new products for dental composites and adhesives. They also featured two interesting products, the Clinpro Tooth Creme and this small floss-like brush which helps clean dirt in between teeth. I am very interested in the latter and was glad to know that it's commercially available through several dental clinics.



The Dental Methods Room


3M featured several dental simulators to help us better understand their products and technology


3M's Dental Products

One of the methods room that really caught my attention was the Electronics Methods Room. They featured and demonstrated here the 3M Novec Engineered Fluid where you can dip and submerge your favorite gadgets without bricking it. This very hi-tech fluid is used in cleaning and repairing certain devices and is available to other businesses. I was really impressed by the technology and engineering behind it. They even showed how toxic-free and environmentally safe it is by having a school of fish on an aquarium tank filled with the fluid.



3M's Novec Engineered Fluid

The last methods room we went to was the Health Care Methods Room. They featured here products for better patient care and food safety. They showed us first the 3M Clear Trace technology gadget which is being utilized in the food industry, hotels and big restaurants to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the food that is being cooked and served.

Another feature of this section are some products quite familiar to us, like the Electronic Stethoscope and wound care products called Tegaderm. The presentation made me remember the several wads of Tegaderm dressings used on me when I had my surgery in 2007. I liked them a lot (because they are not sticky and itchy) and was surprised to learn that it's another 3M product and innovation.


3M's Clear Trace Technology


A demo on how Clear Trace works


Another mock-up in the Health Care Methods Room
(I'm really amazed by the concept & set-up of the 3M Innovations Tour!)

I am such an information junkie so I thoroughly enjoyed the things that 3M presented. There are other method rooms in the tour like the Abrasives Method Room, Industrial Adhesives & Tapes, Renewable Energy, Electrical & Communication Markets (this is close to my heart since technologies here help powers the telco industry), Commercial Care and Occupational Health & Safety, Display & Graphics and the Traffic and Safety Solutions.

It's quite hard to capture all of these neat things and technology in one review and blog post; so it was really good news when I learned that YOU, my dear readers, can actually experience the tour yourself! Yup, the 3M Innovation Tour is open to the public. All you have to do is contact their Corporate Marketing & Public Affairs Group for scheduling. The tour is open to students, special interest groups or businesses who wants to learn more about 3M and its many innovations.

I would like to thank 3M again for the invitation and the fun experience. I really enjoyed the tour and was happy that I got to know what is 3M in my world! :)

More photos of the 3M Innovation Tour on my Flickr account.

3M Philippines
9F Three World Square Building
22 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Tel. No. +632-878-3674
E-mail: innovation.ph@mmm.com
Website: http://www.3m.com/ph