3M sees clear path to sales

United States-based 3M is eying opportunities offered by the huge amount of mobile phones in use in China as the firm provides screen protectors for the phones.

"We have seen the huge demand here because so many people use iPads and iPhones. China is a huge market and it's growing rapidly," said Kelvin Wu, 3M China's mobile division generation manager of its Display & Graphics Business.

3M showed off its various products for mobile devices from laptops, tablet computers to cell phones in Shanghai yesterday.

The new screen protectors, which are clear, smudge-proof and scratch-resistant, are sold in electronic stores and are used on cell phones. 3M sells these screen protectors for 199 yuan (US$30.2) while those for laptops or iPads cost several hundred yuan.

3M is growing distribution channels in China through Apple retail stores and other resellers, Wu said, adding the firm is developing new products for the Chinese market.