EDITOR ’ S CHOICE £ 70M INVESTMENT
3M COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS DIVISION
3M Commercial Solutions Division targets expansion
A £ 70m global investment is set to help boost production capacity for 3M Commercial Solutions Division ’ s clients in the UK .
The company , which helps customers build brands and transform spaces with total graphics and signage solutions , will now be able to meet growing demand by tapping into additional capacity at the state-of-theart facility in Hilden , Germany .
Two new graphic film production lines will be capable of delivering an additional five million square metres of film every year , ensuring lead times are maintained and growth expectations can be met . The site is being celebrated as an Industry 4.0 lighthouse plant , incorporating state-ofthe-art graphic film manufacturing , leadingedge energy management systems and world class quality performance , including web inspection , defect identification and automatic converting connections .
Engaging Six Sigma Black Belts to implement LEAN initiatives has allowed the plant to reach optimum efficiencies and deliver on its productivity targets , including automation and a focus on clean energy that will help the facility reduce its carbon footprint by 50 % by 2022 .
With 2800 sq metre of manufacturing floorspace , the new building took 353 days to construct and reinforces Hilden ’ s position as the largest 3M production plant in Europe , reducing the shipping time to customers being serviced in the UK .
This investment further demonstrates our commitment to leadership in the Commercial Solutions world and boosts our capacity across key markets like the UK
6 PECM Issue 53