3M acquires Meguiars

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3M to Acquire Meguiar's Inc.

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--3M announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire Meguiar’s Inc., the 100-year-old family business that manufactures the leading Meguiar’s brand of car care products for cleaning and protecting automotive surfaces. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Meguiar’s brings its renowned products and proud history—from its beginnings providing Mirror Glaze polishes and waxes for professional use to today’s top-of-the-line products for everyone dedicated to maintaining a brilliant finish on their vehicles—to 3M’s range of automotive aftermarket products. Meguiar’s products include waxes, polishes, cleaners, conditioners and protectants for the automotive and marine markets.

“The addition of Meguiar’s builds on our professional offering for the automotive industry and brings the expertise of Barry Meguiar in the growing enthusiast market for car care products,” said Ian Hardgrove, vice president, 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division. “Together, Meguiar’s and 3M will collaborate to deliver even more innovative high performance products for enthusiasts around the world.”

Car enthusiasts know Meguiar’s not only for its products but also for its presence at thousands of car shows across the country featuring every type of collector car from hot rods and muscle cars to exotic sports cars to vintage classics. Through Meguiar’s internationally syndicated, multimedia broadcasting network, people with a passion for cars can experience major automotive events and the latest collector car hobby news.

“Combining with 3M will greatly enhance our ability to serve and support Car Crazy people on a global basis,” said Barry Meguiar, president and CEO, Meguiar’s Inc. “We are excited about the opportunity to grow our business by joining forces with one of the world’s great global companies—working together to increase our support of the car hobby worldwide.”

3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division provides a comprehensive line of 3M products for auto body repair professionals and auto enthusiasts. Products include abrasives and accessories, performance cleaning products, waxes, masking tapes, panel bonding adhesives, general adhesives coatings and sealers, paint finishing polishes and compounds, and paint application systems. Complementary acquisitions such as this support 3M’s growth strategy to strengthen its core businesses and expand into adjacent markets.

Meguiar’s is headquartered in Irvine , Calif. , and employs approximately 115 people. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Sawaya Segalas & Co., LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Meguiar's Inc.

About Meguiar’s Inc.

For over 100 years, Meguiar’s Inc. has been providing Car Crazy people with specialized state-of-the-art formulations for making the appearance of cars “show car perfect.” Chosen by 20 out of 24 “Best of Class” winners at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Meguiar’s provides highly specialized products for every automotive surface, including paint, wheels, tires, and interiors. As part of its passionate support for the car hobby, Meguiar’s sponsors more than 11,000 car shows globally and produces Meguiar’s Car Crazy Television and Radio that represent car enthusiasts worldwide.

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 79,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries. For more information, visit 3M Worldwide.
 
3m advanced chemistries coupled with meguiar's excellent products should be a winning combination... Plus it might get some superior exposure of some of the great 3M products.
 
I hope 3M doesn't discontinue some of Meguire's great products? I believe Meguire's make one of if not the best waxes, polishes etc out there! I hope it continues.......Irv
 
Originally Posted By: irv
I hope 3M doesn't discontinue some of Meguire's great products? I believe Meguire's make one of if not the best waxes, polishes etc out there! I hope it continues.......Irv


I agree. I hope they keep Meguires goals of their products and the people that engineer them alone!
 
Another mom and pop shop sold to a big corporation?
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted By: XCELERATIONRULES
Another mom and pop shop sold to a big corporation?
frown.gif



Not much "mom 'n pop" about Meguiars as of late. An equity investment firm bought majority interest in Meguiars a few years back so Barry could buy out the rest of the family. Most of these firms build companies in order to sell them later on, which is exactly what happened here.

Seems to me 3M bought Meguiars' position in the car care enthusiast market, something 3M has been focusing on recently. Meguiars has a lot of exposure in the collector car world and this acquisition gives 3M access to these wealthy and influential people. Oh, and don't forget the TV show on Speed Channel and their website.

3M dominates the collision/refinishing market, a place where Meguiars used to compete but gave up to focus on mass retail consumer markets. Now 3M can have their fingers in the majority of the car care products pie. Smart move on their part.
 
The problem I notice with big corporations is waste,and the need to cater to shareholders,without regard to the quality of the product.
I imagine a large price increase in their products is forthcoming.
We shall see.
 
x,

I agree as a general principle as well. However, 3M has good products & Meguiar's has pretty good products as well. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds or if they manage to screw up both lines. {fingers crossed}
 
Originally Posted By: bretfraz


Not much "mom 'n pop" about Meguiars as of late. An equity investment firm bought majority interest in Meguiars a few years back so Barry could buy out the rest of the family. Most of these firms build companies in order to sell them later on, which is exactly what happened here.
Close, but not quite. Barry did get backing from an outside group with a deal to repay by this year. The deal was less than a perfect one and the deadline was fast approaching without being 100% satisfied. The deal with 3M essentially saves the company for Barry and allows it to continue with him at the helm but with the resources of 3M behind him.


Originally Posted By: bretfraz
3M dominates the collision/refinishing market, a place where Meguiars used to compete but gave up to focus on mass retail consumer markets. Now 3M can have their fingers in the majority of the car care products pie. Smart move on their part.
Again, close but not quite. With the introduction of M86 Solo a year and a half ago, and M105 Ultra Cut Compound at SEMA last year, Meguiar's is strengthening their presence in the collision/refinishing market. These products kick 3M's backside in ease of use and effectiveness and have been selling in huge numbers. Meguiar's has technology and talent that 3M admits to being "in awe of". Yes, that's a direct quote from the 3M division head in charge of the whole Meguiar's/3M deal. He admitted to being "stunned" to learn that Meguiar's has developed these new products with only 4 chemists on staff.

Yes, my information is solid. I happen to work for Meguiar's.

3M has seen first hand the extreme level of customer loyalty we enjoy, the unique marketing practices we employ to engender such loyalty, and are extremely impressed that we've been able to achieve what we have with very limited resources and a relatively small staff. Much more "mom & pop" than one might imagine. 3M has stated to all of us that it is their intent to grow the brans, to make use of 3M's manufacturing and distribution channels worldwide, etc. They know all too well that what we are doing is truly unique, and they aren't willing to change such an incredibly formula. Just enhance it.
 
Smart Wax has been a while for a while and I thought Smart Wax was made by Chemical Guys. If the chemist left, this person left a few years ago.
 
No comments? I was expecting a challenge to my post on more history.

Personally, I think Mothers team is better for exterior waxes. I do not use Meg's polishes but who knows. I had heard that some ingredients in Meg's come from 3M so I wonder if that is true.
 
Originally Posted By: sprintman
They are a bit late. Chief chemist had already departed to start his own company making far superior products. smart Wax

http://www.smartwax.com/?_kk=smart wax&_kt=d38e7adc-8d50-430d-b113-fb118c438042


That was quite some time ago (exact timeline escapes me now). The team we have in place now are responsible for such recent huge successes as NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0, Ultimate Quik Detailer, M86 So1o Cut & Polish Cream System, M105 Ultra Cut Compound, D151 Paint Reconditioning Cream, Hot Rims Chrome Polish, Hot Rims Mag & Aluminum Polish. All of these were introduced in just the past 2 years and most are the number 1 selling product in their market segment. Overall sales and profits have risen fairly dramatically in that time. Unlike other new products from many of our competitors, products that sold like hotcakes at first and have since dropped off significantly, each of these new products developed by our existing staff continue to grow in sales.
 
Originally Posted By: Mike-in-Orange[/quote

Yes, my information is solid. I happen to work for Meguiar's.



I just caught this thread. It seems to me that you should have some sort of info in your profile to identify this so people know about your bias. I asked you over a year ago if you worked for Meguiar's and you denied it:

Here

Now, I don't mind hearing opinions, but it seems to me yours was slanted and your advice almost always included info about products from your employer. A little more integrity should have been used here.
 
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