3M gulf establishes presence in Qatar

In line with its extensivegrowth plans for the Middle East and Africa region, 3M, a recognized leader in research anddevelopment established its presence in the State of Qatar by inaugurating a wholly owned office in the capital city of Doha. 3M’s new office in Doha will be headed by Wajid Abbas, Country Manager Qatar.

Commenting on 3M’s expansion in Qatar, Irfan Malik, Area Vice President, Middle East &Africa 3M said, “The Middle East is one of the fastest growing geographies for 3M globally. Our presencein Qatar will facilitate the company's rapidly growing business operations and will be a vital catalyst for achieving 3M’s strategic growth objectives for the region.”

He further added, “The decision to open a regional office in Doha is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to provide our partners with the best products, services and valuable insights based on years of technological innovation excellence.At 3M, we strongly value our relationships with the regulatory authorities, and strategic partners, and we look forward tolong term collaboration with our expanded presence in Qatar.”

3M, with its diversified product portfolio and 46 technology platforms has achieved significant milestones in the Middle East and Africa region including the State of Qatar. From providing passive and active fire protection solutions to key institutions, to addressing the emerging healthcare needs of the country and also encouraging the growth of the nations’ automotive industry with its state of the art nanotechnology films, 3M has been at the forefront of fueling economic growth in Qatar for diverse industry sectors.

3M’s foray into Qatar would initially focus on leveraging the key 3M business unit portfolios, asrecently announcedduring therealignment of its major business groups to better serve global markets and customers. The new structure now comprises of five business groups: Consumer (2011 global sales of $4.2 billion), Industrial ($9.6 billion), Health Care ($5.0 billion) and two newly formed business groups: Safety & Graphics ($5.5 billion), and Electronics & Energy ($5.7 billion). Previously, the company operated six major businesses.

The new structure is effective immediately and is expected to bring in increased penetration, sustainable growth. This initiative is in line with the aggressive growth plans that have been set forth for the region.