3M Tape Manufacturers Suppliers

3M Tape Industry Information

3M Tape

Tape is an adhesive that has endless applications in endless industries. As it such a universal product, there are many different types of tape brands. One of the most well-known and trusted tape brands on the market is 3M, or as it is more formally known, the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, which has been in business for over a century, produces products other than tape, but their tape is perhaps for what they are best known. Tape made by 3M is used in many settings, including in automotive, communications, construction, electronics, graphics, healthcare, manufacturing, mail shipping, office supply, safety, security and protection and transportation. The 3M brand was born out of a small town in Minnesota in 1902, founded by five men who wished to mine and sell corundum. This venture was not successful, however, and they were forced to regroup. In 1905, they moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where they produced sandpaper products. In 1910, 3M moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where it experienced its first real success, a success that has never let up. It was here also that they began developing their famous 3M tape. The company remained there for over half a century, until it outgrew its facilities and moved to the suburbs. Over the years, 3M Tape has grown and transformed into a global supplier, with some of the most widely recognized 3M tape lines including Command® products and Scotch Tape®.

The 3M tape brand offers every kind of tape on the market today, and thus this giant of a tape supplier touches every corner of the tape industry. Some examples of the highly successful tapes that 3M Tape manufactures include: cloth tape, cloth glass tape, duct tape, foil tape, Masking Tape®, marking tape, polyethylene tape, polyester tape, protective tape, slick surface tape, specialized tape and vinyl tape. They also manufacture a variety of useful tape accessories, such as: applicators, dispensers, glue adhesives, laminating supplies, mounting squares, non-stick scissors and paper cutters. One of the oldest and most well recognized, perhaps the most well recognized, 3M Tape product is Scotch Tape®. Scotch Tape® was originally invented in the 1920s as the first transparent material cellophane adhesive for use in the home and office. In its first iteration, it worked only with products already protected by cellophane and was also applied to their outer edges only. However, as it became more popular and was adapted for use with other applications, Scotch Tape® was redesigned as a thicker strip that can cover more. Before Scotch Tape® was Masking Tape®, another very well known 3M tape. It was also invented in the 1920s and, in fact, it was created by the same employee at the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, a man named Dick Drew. Drew created Masking Tape® in order to cater to a new market, two-toned car. In that decade, two-toned cars first emerged as a popular new style, and in order to make them well, manufacturers needed to keep one part of the car covered while they painted the other. Because no product existed at the time that could do the job, Masking Tape® was born out of necessity. More recently, 3M Tape has invented more widely popular adhesive products including Scotch® transparent duct tape and Post-it® Super Sticky Notes. Other examples of 3M tape include: wire tape rolls, medical tape (transparent, polyester, transparent polyethylene single sided, transparent polyethylene double sided, polyvinyl chloride/PVC single or double sided foam, high tack elastic nonwoven fabric, microporous rayon nonwoven fabric, rayon acetate woven, spunlaced polyester nonwoven fabric, aluminum diagnostic microfluidic, hydrocolloid adhesive, etc), low profile loop fastener/attachment adhesive rolls, fiber filled adhesive transfer tape, flexform wire tape strips and more.

The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company has something for every customer, from industrial manufacturer, commercial buyer and end-user individuals, and they have been perfecting their products since their founding in 1902. Their tape products are not sold only by them, but rather by a number of third parties as well. To get the most out of your 3M tape, we recommend that you turn to an experienced supplier that can guide you in the right direction. Find the most reliable service, turn to one of the quality manufacturers that we have listed near the top of this page. All of those with whom we partner are reputable and proven reliable. Learn more about them by reading their company descriptions, perusing their websites or by simply reaching out with a phone call, email or fax.