3M Sri Lanka polishes out new market segment with sandpaper

Friday, 23 May 2014 00:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The abrasives division of 3M Sri Lanka, the fully-owned local subsidiary of the $30.8 billion innovation giant 3M Company, recently entered the consumer market with their new line of sandpaper. 3M’s 230U Sandpaper is a specially formulated dry sandpaper for wall putty (joint compound, skim coat) sanding. It ensures a quick, smooth surface with uniform finish. It comes in multiple grit sizes thus allowing the user to get their desired outcome based on the type and thickness of the putty. “The unique construction of 3M’s 230U Sandpaper allows for an anti-loading feature, which means the user needs less effort to get a better cut as well as avoiding the hassle of frequently dusting off abraded material that has accumulated on the sandpaper,”

said Ranjan Keppetipola, Technical Sales Engineer (Abrasives Systems Division), 3M. He added that the high quality minerals and special adhesives that bind the minerals to the base paper makes 3M sandpaper more durable than any other sandpaper currently available in the market. Leading building contractors have approved the product following site tests. The company has also stated that they have a vast range of product solutions in the pipeline that address the varying needs of consumers in the consumer utility market. Therefore, sandpaper will serve as an entry product into this market and create a platform from which to launch other products in this segment. “We are always exploring new opportunities for growth and have identified an immense opportunity in the consumer market, also known as the utility/hardware market. With our wealth of experience in abrasives and extensive range of products we are perfectly suited to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Rasith Senarath, Division Manager (Industrial business group), 3M. 3M’s 230U Sandpaper is distributed by Lankem. Prior to the launch of this new consumer product line 3M abrasives in Sri Lanka were primarily focused on industrial applications with their products being used in the wood working, metal working and automotive industries. 3M began producing sandpaper in 1905 and has been a pioneer in the field of abrasives since that time. They introduced the first waterproof sandpaper to the market in 1921 and in 2010 revolutionised the abrasive industry with Cubitron II which uses precision shaped abrasive granules that increased the life expectancy of the abrasive by as much as four times. R&D magazine acknowledged Cubitron II as one of the year’s top technology driven products to reach the marketplace. This lead over its competitors is maintained by 3M’s investment in its employees and in research and development which guarantees its corporate culture of innovation. This governing corporate culture allows 3M to advance, enhance and improve the lives of its stakeholders.