Consumables

3M Unveils New Center in Dubai to Bring Technologies and Innovation Closer to Customers

Monday 31. January 2011 - Today, 3M unveiled its new Innovation Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The opening of the Dubai center, set to bring 3M technologies and innovations even closer to its regional customers, will provide 3M with an expanded facility in the Middle East to better support customer needs across the region resulting in more cost-effective customer centric solutions created specifically for the region, in the region.
“The Dubai center will draw upon 3M’s global R&D strength and 45 technology platforms to provide solutions for local customers to experience all around the region,” explained Irfan Malik, vice president, 3M Middle East and Africa. “At 3M we have an expression that says ‘3M is always within reach.’ This new center, in addition to our Saif Zone Manufacturing Facility, demonstrates that we are continuously investing in the local market while consistently producing innovative products for our customers.”
“3M Customer Technical Centers worldwide foster creativity and imaginative forward thinking that result in a steady stream of new and improved products,” said Inge Thulin, executive vice president, 3M International Operations. “With every new center, we can be certain that 3M’s development of products and technologies will continue to grow in regions throughout the world.”
Customer Technical Centers are unique to 3M around the world and serve as a mechanism for customer inspired innovation. The first of its kind in the Middle East region, the Dubai center will offer potential customers, business partners, and research and development experts the opportunity to test a host of 3M’s groundbreaking innovations. Located in Internet City, the center, which is LEED certified and environmentally friendly, will be divided into 14 zones showcasing all of 3M’s technology platforms, capabilities and products for the Middle East market.
“When touring our center, customers will discover the magic of 3M’s innovation by experiencing it,” added Malik. “They will see, hear, touch and interact with our technologies on a first hand basis and learn about their various applications in the exciting on-site teaching rooms, an entirely new experience for the region.”
The center also will be a hub for training and product application to accelerate the development of new products and services locally across all of 3M’s businesses such as Healthcare, Display & Graphics, Safety & Security, Industrial & Transportation, Electro Communication, and 3M’s verticals such as Oil & Gas.
“Innovation is a common language expressed in many tongues,” said Malik. “Wherever we are in the world, we are connected by our desire to create new and improved materials, processes and products. Creating innovative products and services that respond to customer needs in the region has always been a way of life at 3M Gulf and that is a goal that our new center aims to take even further.”
The Innovation Center in Dubai is the 30th 3M Customer Technical Center in the world. The opening comes shortly after 3M Gulf’s inauguration of its Saif Zone Manufacturing Facility in Sharjah-UAE, a pre-built leased facility that will help create a faster reaction to the market needs of Gulf customers, as well as significant lead time improvement.