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THE MARKET
Since the 1930s, adhesive tapes have become a
basic necessity for every office, shop, factory and
home. The range of adhesive tape applications is
now so diverse that the industry has become highly
specialised, with ever increasing levels of
technology and expertise required.
The worldwide popularity of 3M’s transparent
tape has made the term “Scotch tape” universally
known. In fact, however, Scotch is a brand name,
exclusive to the 3M family of pressure-sensitive
adhesive tapes.
In 2006, 3Mestimated that the global market for
Consumer andOfficeBusinesswasmore thanUS$3
billion.
ACHIEVEMENTS
More than 400 varieties of adhesive tape have
reached themarket under the Scotch and 3Mbrand
names. Scotch brand tapes are everywhere on the
globe, and most people consider tape an
indispensable part of their lives.
Scotch rates third in brand familiarity surveys in
the United States, with a recognition rate of 89 per
cent. It rates even better when respondents are
asked to state their attitude to the brand; Scotch is
second in people’s affections, alsowith 89 per cent.
Scotch products have been on the market for
over 75 years, the plaid design threading these years
of innovation together. In today’s society, the
frantic lifestyles that many people lead are leaving
consumers time poor and seeking products to
assist in daily tasks.
The recent invention of the Scotch Pop Up
Giftwrap Tape Dispenser by 3M is an example of
such a product. These innovative yet very simple
dispensers are designed to dispense pre-cut strips
of Scotch tape one at a time. No more messing
around with scissors or fiddling with tape that has
doubled over on itself, or not having enough hands
to hold the present as well as cut the tape! The
handy pop-up dispenser can be worn on your hand
or wrist completely freeing up your hands for
giftwrapping.
HISTORY
In the 75 years since its invention, Scotch®
Transparent Tape has become one of those rare
products found in virtually every American or
Australian office and home. It is available all around
the world. It was the first transparent tape invented
and remains today the market leader.
But when its inventor, a brash, banjo-playing
3M engineer, cooked up the formula for the
forerunner of transparent tape, he had in mind
neither universal popularity nor the countless uses
it has today.
In fact, tape may not have been invented at all if
youngRichardG. Drewhadn’t happened towalk in
on a St. Paul auto painter who had just ruined a
paint job on a brand new Packard.
Drew had joined 3M in 1921. Back then, the
companywas a struggling sandpapermanufacturer.
He had taken a trial batch of newly developed
waterproof sandpaper to a local auto body shop
for testing. This is where he saw the problem: two-
tone paint finishes on cars had just been introduced
and become all the rage. But during the spray
painting of the cars, there was no effective way to
keep one colormasked from the other. Drewvowed
that he would develop a tape to make two-tone
paint application easy.
By happy coincidence, 3M management was
searching for away to diversify the company. They
gaveDrewthe time and financial backing to conduct
some experiments.
The young inventor’s impulsive promise turned
into two years of toil. Seeking the perfect adhesive,
Drew experimented with vegetable oils, various
resins, chicle, linseed and glue glycerin. For the
tape base, he finally settled on some leftover treated
crepe paper.
3M’s chief chemist took samples of the new tape
to the automakers in Detroit. They immediately
placed an order for three carloads. It was 1925.
Masking tape was born. And 3M, a sandpaper
manufacturer in its 23rd year, found itself in a new
business – pressure-sensitive adhesives.
Five years later, Drew conceived the product
thatwouldbring3Mworldwide fame. Likemasking
tape, this innovationwas inspired by customer need.
ASt. Paul firmhad an order to insulate hundreds
of refrigerated railroad cars, and needed a
waterproof seal. The insulation firmconsulted 3M,
andDrew, now resident pressure-adhesives expert,
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