3M, a global innovation company that produces a wide range of products and services, has launched its Turkey Customer Innovation Center in Kavacık, Istanbul, as a part of its $4 million investment in research and development activities (R&D). Just like its equivalents around the world, the innovation center, which is built on a 600-square-meter area, will be a center where 3M science turns into innovation.

3M Turkey Customer Innovation Center is the 50th center of its kind in the world that actualizes the innovation process with its customers, and enables 3M products to access many areas of life.

Attending the inauguration ceremony, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek said that they strongly support such investments, which will upgrade Turkey in a value-added chain. "3M's expansion of its activities in Turkey reflects our country's growth in recent years. It is a good thing that 3M has a share in Turkey's future," Şimşek added.

Arda Ermut, the Vice President of the Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency, noted that many multinational companies have established a center in Turkey as a part of their global strategies.

Underlining that the 3M Customer Innovation Center in Istanbul helps Turkey become a hub in this field, Ermut said that Turkey and Istanbul are the junctions where 3M's centers in the world meet, and that the opening of this innovation center will be an important milestone in 3M's history.

Giuseppe Castaldi, Vice-President at 3M responsible for Central and Eastern Europe, said that their investment in the Customer Innovation Center is only a small part of their investments in Turkey. Castaldi also remarked that their investments in the Çorlu regional facilities, which will offer production to the whole world rather than Turkey alone, continue at full steam. "When this investment is completed, we have made an additional investment of $500 million in Turkey," he added.

Placing emphasis on the fact that they aim to grow together with their customers in Turkey thanks to the Customer Innovation Center, Castaldi said that Turkey is the second largest market for 3M in Central and Eastern Europe. "With its strong economy, dynamic market and growth potential, Turkey is of great importance for 3M," Castaldi said.Joe Liu, International Vice President at 3M in charge of R&D, said that the Turkish market is very important for them, continuing, "3M Istanbul, which allocates 5.5 percent of its annual revenue for R&D, has made another significant investment. Reflecting its innovation capability on more than 55 thousand products and more than 100 thousand patents, 3M will continue to produce added value." The inauguration ceremony was also attended by U.S. Consul General in Istanbul, Charles F. Hunter, 3M R&D Director for Central and Eastern Europe Chris Howitt and 3M Turkey General Manager Andrei Holban.