AMERICAN technology giant 3M finds the Singapore market particularly attractive for its growth and stability, and the company will be investing more resources to introduce new automotive products to car distributors, workshops, retailers and motorists.

3M is already well known for creating household names like Post-It and Scotch, but few are aware of its many automotive-related products.

"3M started in the automotive business 100 years ago," explains 3M Technologies (Singapore) general manager S C Chok. Today, the Minnesota-based conglomerate is active in the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business, and also services both Japanese and Korean car makers with anything from adhesives and sealers to paints and tapes. Among its customers are manufacturers like Toyota, Nissan and Mazda.

But Mr Chok says 3M is also active in the automotive accessories market.

"In Singapore, we have been selling to the automotive after-market for 35 years, supplying things like masking tape, double-sided tape and sandpaper to paint and bodywork shops," he says.

Another little-known fact is that 3M also makes solar film.

"3M invented sun control film in 1966. It was called Scotch Tint and we focused on providing it to buildings. Later, we entered the automotive market in the US and Europe," he says, adding that 3M window film is also available here, with Toyota cars from Borneo Motors being one of its biggest users.

"In the last two to three years, we have become more successful in the local market, primarily with car distributors like Borneo Motors."

But 3M now wants to target a wider audience with other products like customised car mats and car insulation - used to filter out road and mechanical noise. This is because the local automotive market is stable and growing at about 5 per cent a year.

"Not many markets have that kind of stability. And we believe Singaporeans will continue to buy new cars and maintain them. A lot of premium is attached to the car and Singaporeans demand that it performs at its best, which suits our products because of our higher quality."

More importantly, the customers - in this case, car owners - are not likely to go away soon, unlike, say, semiconductor factories which may migrate in search of cheaper labour.

"We like businesses that are domestic and with a sustained population," says Mr Chok.

The figures are attractive. Mr Chok estimates the car-matting segment to be worth $30 million a year, while solar film ranges from $70 million to $100 million.

"We have done our market research and 3M products are very under-penetrated, so that gives us a reason to invest," he says.

For now, there is a team of eight people in Singapore, comprising four full-time staff and four product specialists who act as consultants. But he declines to give other numbers, and only says 3M has seen double-digit growth in the past two years.

"Double-digit is excellent, because 3M's international business in the second quarter grew 8 per cent globally," he says, referring to the company's total worldwide sales growth.

One market advantage which 3M says it has is the US conglomerate's huge research and development (R&D) resources and worldwide support.

Its Singapore Innovation Centre alone has invested $500,000 on R&D for the automotive business since it was set up in 2005.

Mr Chok says: "With the Innovation Centre here, we can easily customise 3M products for local needs."