3M Greater China President: reform drives innovation

With a history of more than eight decades, 3M was more like a mid-career sportsperson, bringing their experience and vitality to China, in order to seek a new challenge. Now China has become its largest market outside the United States.

As for the reasons for choosing the Chinese market, Stephen told the reporter, “One of the ways we think about our business, and running our business, is running it both with a microscope as well as a telescope. The microscope is: we have to operate our company for today, and we have to deliver results. As a result, 3M is a very well run company. We also recognize that we have to have a telescopic lens, which is, where is the world going? How are markets going to change?”

If we go back to the 1970s, the executives of 3M were thinking with a telescopic lens while looking for the opportunities in China. “I think they saw the potential of what the Chinese marketplace could be,” Stephen says. Compared with other companies, 3M is indeed a pioneer in investing in the Chinese market. As China adopted the policy of reform and opening up, 3M China started from Shanghai and has actively supported the development of China's economy with diverse technologies and solutions, thus becoming one of the most successful enterprises in China.

In China and for China

(3M has launched many pneumoconiosis caring programs, aiming to build consumers’ awareness on health risks.)