3M Tape Manufacturing: Made in America & Supporting Electrical Training, a Feature of "Industry Today" on Industrialinfo.com

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Ask just about anyone if they've heard of Scotch Tape, and their answer is likely to be "yes." The 3M brand is as American as it gets, like Ford or Coca-Cola. It's so strong that during a recent focus group study, electricians said that Scotch vinyl electrical tapes were their only choice. With this knowledge, 3M has forged a new sponsorship for union electrical training programs to ensure that tomorrow's electricians know, count on and use 3M's tape today.

3M has teamed up with the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC), the training arm of the National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, to provide supplies and training to the electricians of tomorrow.

"We've been thinking about ways to help educate the future generation of electricians for some time," says Jeremiah Blair, the electrical tapes global marketing manager for 3M. "This is such a natural opportunity for us, because there's no other place you can go to get that sort of initial introduction to the next generation of electricians. 3M has the opportunity to do some training with the electricians, teach some classes, we're going to be providing a lot of materials."

In this Electric TV version of "How It's Made," we take you to one of 3M's manufacturing facilities in Hutchinson, Minnesota, for a behind-the-scenes look at this piece of Americana.

The National Electrical Contractors Association, or NECA, has provided more than a century of service to the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA's national and 119 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, or IBEW, represents approximately 725,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.