3M RESTRUCTURING
By Adnews Staff
The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. of St. Paul is dropping its audio and videotape businesses and plans to spin off its data storage and imaging systems businesses into a separate, publicly-held, yet-to-be-named company. The remaining 3M operations will be divided into two sectors: life sciences and industrial and consumer. The industrial and consumer division will make specialty chemicals, home-cleaning sponges, Scotch tapes, roofing granules and coated abrasives. It will include the Electro and Communications Markets Group, previously part of the imaging sector, which makes electrical tapes, connectors, overhead projectors and insulating materials. Life Sciences will make reflective materials for highway safety, disposable diaper closures, respirators and medical and surgical supplies.