3M is a diversified industrial manufacturer that makes specialty materials, adhesives, abrasives, safety products, and consumer goods across a broad range of end markets. The company operates through three segments: Safety and Industrial (~48% of revenue), Transportation and Electronics (~33%), and Consumer (~19%). Safety and Industrial sells respirators, fall protection gear, electrical components, industrial adhesives, and abrasives. Transportation and Electronics sells optical films, optically clear adhesives, and electronic materials to OEM electronics manufacturers, as well as acoustic and bonding products for automotive and aerospace. Consumer sells well-known brands including Post-it, Scotch tape, Command hooks, Filtrete air filters, and Nexcare health products through mass retail and e-commerce. 3M's core competitive advantage is proprietary material science — including coating, bonding, optical films, ceramics, and filtration technologies — which supports premium pricing versus commodity alternatives. Revenue scales with industrial production, consumer electronics demand, auto build rates, and consumer spending. CEO Bill Brown, who joined in early 2024, has organized 3M's strategy around rebuilding commercial and operational fundamentals, restructuring its cost base and factory network, and divesting commodity-like businesses in favor of higher-growth verticals including data centers, aerospace, semiconductors, and EV. A meaningful ongoing headwind is PFAS litigation, with costs running roughly $500M per year and stranded manufacturing costs following 3M's exit from PFAS production.