Exhibit 99


Contact: Jon Greer 
651-736-1915

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

       3M Targets Double-digit Earnings Growth;
       Outlines Plan for Growth, Productivity Improvement


St. Paul, Minn. - August 27, 1998 - At its biennial security
analyst meeting here, 3M said it expects double-digit
earnings growth for the coming three years, and sales to
increase an average of 8 percent per year. Sales will continue
to be affected by the economic situation in Asia and other
parts of the world. 

L.D. DeSimone, chairman and chief executive officer, said
3M's strategy continues to center on growth, through
ongoing investment in innovation, and productivity
improvement, with a number of specific actions being taken
to address current and anticipated economic conditions.
"We're taking the right actions to strengthen our earnings
growth as quickly as possible," he said, "and we remain
committed to continued investment in our growth platforms." 

3M reviewed the strategies of its major businesses with
particular emphasis on major new product programs. These
"Pacing Plus" programs present significant growth
opportunities and change the basis of competition in
growing markets. Pacing Plus programs in place are expected
to generate more than $1 billion in sales in 1998,
up from $650 million last year. 

Consistent with previous announcements, the company will
improve productivity through a series of actions:
     *Reduction of employment levels by 4500 by the
      end of 1999.
     *Consolidation of some manufacturing operations
      around the world.
     *Rationalization of product lines that earn marginal
      returns and/or have a decreasing strategic fit. The
      product lines being reviewed have cumulative annual
      sales of approximately $350 million.

The company anticipates a pre-tax charge of as much as $500 
million associated with these actions.

"With today's global economic outlook, it's even more
important to continuously improve competitiveness,"
DeSimone said. "Our approach both addresses current
realities and strengthens our ability to generate future
growth." 3M continues to invest more than $1 billion
annually in research and development. 

3M is a diversified manufacturing company with 1997 sales of
$15 billion and net income of $1.6 billion. 3M makes more
than 50,000 products serving industrial, consumer,
commercial and health care markets.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain portions of this news release that do not relate to
historical financial information constitute forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and
trends may differ materially from historical results or
those expected depending on a variety of factors,
including, but not limited to: (1) foreign exchange rates
and fluctuations in those rates; (2) the effects of, and
changes in, worldwide economic conditions, particularly in
Japan, the Asia region and the United States; (3) raw
materials, including shortages and increases in the costs
of key raw materials; (4) the impact of the Year 2000
issue; and (5) legal proceedings.  More detail with respect
to various risks and uncertainties is contained in 3M's
Annual and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.