3M Adds Scotch-Brite Diamond Floor Pads for Commercial Stone Floor Cleaning
3M Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Diamonds
ST. PAUL, Minn. - February 21, 2008 - Fifty years after 3M revolutionized the floor maintenance industry by originating the first synthetic, non-woven floor pad, the company today introduces to its U.S. line of floor pads, the Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond Floor Pad Plus and the Scotch-Brite Sienna Diamond Floor Pad Plus system. The addition further expands 3M's service offerings to address stone floor cleaning needs in commercial applications. The new floor pads address the need of a floor coating while cleaning and polishing marble, terrazzo and polished concrete.
"We are excited that the addition of the Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond and Scotch-Brite Sienna Diamond Floor Pads comes during the 50th anniversary of 3M Floor Pads," said Tom Pelissero, business development manager at 3M Building and Commercial Services Division. "It is evidence that 3M is committed to continued investment in our core non-woven platform, generating high performance and high-quality solutions for the sanitary supply industry."
Pelissero continued on to state that the company has a variety of choices for stripping, scrubbing, cleaning and burnishing floors coated with floor finishes and now, an ideal product for generating gloss on uncoated stone floors. He also pointed out that the Scotch-Brite Purple and Scotch-Brite Sienna Diamond Floor Pad Plus system has the same consistent performance and high-quality results that helped make 3M Floor Pads the industry standard for cleaning floors since 1958.
The technology used to create the pads is based on a diamond formula that is used to clean and polish stone flooring to a brilliant shine in a one-step process, making the system easy to use. The Scotch-Brite Sienna Diamond Pad Plus conditions damaged stone floors due to high traffic or low maintenance and prepares the floors to be brought to a high shine by the Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond Floor Pad Plus. The system is an ideal solution to help save additional labor costs associated with burnishing floors after cleaning, and to help eliminate the need for floor finish and other floor coatings that require additional periodic maintenance.
Dick McAvoy, a retired 3M scientist who helped to invent many floor pads during the 1960s and 1970s remembers when the company first went to market with the non-woven floor pad in 1958, "The industry used flat scrubbers and jelly rolls to clean floors. Jelly rolls were simply rolled steel wool. Unlike the new 3M Floor Pads, those products were unable to remove the dirt and wax build-up leaving behind dull floors," McAvoy said.
3M Floor Pads are still recognized as the worldwide industry standard today. They feature uniform distribution of mineral abrasives throughout the pad, providing superior performance and extending the life of the pad. Additionally, the pads have individual fibers that are coated separately to produce more consistent results.
"The floor maintenance industry understood the advantages of using the original 3M Floor Pad right away," added Gene Dupree, another retired 3M scientist who - with the help of retired colleague, Walter Rankin - helped invent the first floor pad. "Every company wanted to switch to the new pad immediately. Their enthusiasm eventually led to the development of machines specifically for the floor pads."
Today, 3M continues to lead in providing the floor maintenance industry with solutions it needs, like the company's Environmentally Preferable Solutions line of products, which is part of 3M's comprehensive system of innovative floor care products. 3M's family of products for the floor maintenance industry also includes floor pads, sanding screens, the Doodlebug Cleaning System, Easy Scrub Express Flat Mop System, floor sweepers and the Twist 'n Fill Cleaning Chemical Management System.
3M Building and Commercial Services Division plans to hold a celebration later this year honoring its many scientists, like McAvoy, Dupree and Rankin, who helped to originate the floor maintenance industry's first non-woven floor pad. Others attending will be today's scientists and engineers who continue the company's legacy of innovation and advancing today's floor maintenance solutions. In addition, 3M will be offering 50th anniversary customer promotions throughout the year. The most notable is in partnership with Tennant Company to give away a new Tennant T-7 Micro-rider Floor Scrubber machine.
For more information about Floor Pads from 3M call 1-800-626-8578 or visit 3M.com/commcare.
3M Building and Commercial Services Division is a diversified supplier of cleaning and maintenance products and programs for commercial, health care, educational, retail and industrial facilities. 3M Building and Commercial Services Division manufactures chemical management systems, floor finishes and cleaners, disinfectants, floor pads and brushes, hand pads, traction products, matting and carpet care products. For more information about 3M's complete line of cleaning products, call 1-800-557-2249 or visit 3M.com/commcare.
About 3M
A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M's core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms - often in combination - to a wide array of customer needs. With $24 billion in sales, 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries.
3M, Scotch-Brite, Doodlebug and Twist 'n Fill are trademarks of 3M. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FROM:
3M Public Relations and Corporate Communications
3M Center, Building 225-1S-15
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
