Recognized for the Fifth Consecutive Year
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
When research and development is the heartbeat of a company, innovation
is bound to follow. Thomson Reuters recognized the creative innovations
that take place at 3M every day and has placed the science-based company
high on its fifth annual Top 100 Global Innovators list. From a pool of
more than 1,300 companies, 3M proved once again it is one of the best in
the world when it comes to applying science to solve problems and
improve lives around the world.
“3M is built on innovation; its future will be too,” said Ashish
Khandpur, senior vice president, Research and Development, and chief
technology officer. “We constantly make investments to strengthen our
scientific capabilities and increase our competitiveness to serve our
customers and the broader society.”
3M strengths included all four principal criteria: overall patent
volume, patent application-to-grant success rate, global reach of the
portfolio, and patent influence as evidenced by citations. Its highest
score was in the Globalization category, where Thomson Reuters
recognized the company’s strong emphasis on protecting its patents and
innovations around the world.
“3M embodies the Lifecycle of Innovation in its discovery, protection
and commercialization of inventions, making it a top-performing Top 100
Global Innovator,” said Laura Gaze, director of PR & thought leadership
for Thomson Reuters IP & Science.
3M invests about 5.6 percent of its sales into research and development,
with plans to move closer to 6 percent. That investment helps produce
more than 3,000 patents each year. The science-based company is also set
to open a new state-of-the-art R&D lab on its St. Paul, Minnesota campus.
The company owns 46 technology platforms, which range from adhesives and
abrasives, to ceramics and nanotechnology. Its 8,500 scientists around
the world share and combine these technologies across all its businesses
to create a steady stream of unique products for customers. Roughly
one-third of 3M’s sales come from products introduced in the last five
years.
See 3M’s science come to life at the 3M
Newsroom.
To view the full list and report on the Thomson Reuters 2015 Top 100
Global Innovator program, go to http://www.stateofinnovation.com.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to
improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees
connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s
creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com
or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151112006417/en/
Source: 3M