3M Company investments in research and development and related areas rose to 4.7% of net sales in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2024.
The company‘s net sales were $24.575 billion in 2025. Of that total, $13.405 billion corresponded to the Americas, $6.994 billion to Asia-Pacific, and $4.176 billion to the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).
3M Company Investments
In the United States, 3M’s headquarters and corporate research laboratories are located in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition, the company operates 48 manufacturing plants in 26 states, supporting its national industrial presence.
Internationally, 3M operates 60 manufacturing and conversion plants in 25 countries. The company is a diversified multinational technology and manufacturing company with operations in the Safety and Industrial, Transportation and Electronics, and Consumer segments and a broad product offering.
The following table shows 3M Company’s investments in research, development, and related expenses as a percentage of its net sales:
- 2022: 4.4.
- 2023: 4.7.
- 2024: 4.4.
- 2025: 4.7.
Innovation
3M maintains constant investment in R&D activities. These encompass application development, product and manufacturing support, and the creation of new products and technologies geared toward disruptive innovations. R&D spending reflects its ongoing focus on growth and launches.
In the competitive environment, 3M faces large industrial and technology conglomerates. Its main rivals include Honeywell International, DuPont, and General Electric. It also competes with Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and Avery Dennison in consumer goods and adhesives.
In this context, innovation is critical for 3M. It underpins its diversified portfolio, enables higher-margin materials and solutions, protects advantages through patents, and accelerates product turnover, linking R&D with operational efficiency and organic growth.
3M Company’s research, development, and related expenses are listed here in millions of dollars:
- 2023: 1,154.
- 2024: 1,085.
- 2025: 1,169.
An interesting fact: 3M institutionalized the 15% rule for personal projects, a practice that drove commercial innovations such as Post-it notes, showing how autonomy in R&D can translate into scalable and profitable products within today’s large global corporations.
3M’s 15% rule consists of allowing employees to devote up to 15% of their working time to their own projects, outside of their formal duties, with the aim of exploring ideas, experimenting, and developing innovations that could become new products or processes.