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Three Ms.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stitcher
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Stitcher

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Prior to me becoming a heavy lorry driver I drove a small van and made regular pick ups from a firm which I believe was called "The Three Ms". I believe it was situated somewhere in bordesly. I am not sure but I think the what I loaded there was Heavy cardboard boxes, I don't know what was in them. I collected them and took them back to the yard for transhipping onto the heavy lorries/
 
Was it 3M the 'post it' yellow sticker-maker I wonder. Did they make sound recording tapes too ? Or am I imagining it ? Viv.
 
I have thoughts about Bordesly Green road, I used to drive across Alum Rock Road towards Bordesly but can't remember if I forked off left or kept straight on towards the railway stn. All this was 50-60 years ago.
 
Vivienne14 said:
It looks like it must have been the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co Ltd Adderley Park. Various types of tape seem to have been their business, the yellow post it notes are a more recent product and, I think, by the same company. Viv.

Image from Graces Guide.
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You must be correct there Vivienne because there would never in the world be two companies with a name like 3Ms in close proximity to each other.
 
My om used to work there on the twilight shift, she used to bring home selotape and sandpaper. the three Ms stood for Minnesota mining and manufacturing Ltd...
 
3M is now based in Atherstone, just off the A5. They were a customer of my old company - we sold very hard wool felt sheets and blocks to them, but to this day I haven't a clue what it was used for! Their main products are top-quality adhesive tapes, both single- and double-sided; abrasive paper for polishing; laminated products for various industrial applications; adhesives. I think they may also have made tape for tape-recorders. And more. In all the years we supplied them I never visited as they never wanted a visit, they just placed regular orders and paid their bills (which is more than many of our customers did) and we left them alone.

If you drive down the A5, just at the Atherstone turn-off past Tamworth, you'll see a large water-tank with the legend "3M", visible for miles.

G
 
3M is a worldwide company and although it seems the nickname 3M was soon given to the company after its foundation in 1902 at Two Harbours, Minnesota it did not become officially known by that name until its centenary in 2002. As the company grew it moved to Duluth, a very large port on the western end of Lake Superior which was known for its large docks which dealt with much of the minerals mined in that area. 1916 saw it Head Office set up in St. Paul, Minnesota (the area is known as the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul) where it still is.
 
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