3M reported its third-quarter results on October 20, 2026. Sales in its Safety and Industrial segment, which includes abrasive materials, reached $3.18 billion, up 9.1% year over year. The increase was mainly supported by expanding applications in data centers and other electrical markets.

The performance of the abrasive materials business was weaker than that of the broader segment. Quarterly sales fell to $326 million from $344 million a year earlier. For the first nine months of the year, however, abrasive materials sales totaled $1.017 billion, representing a slight year-over-year increase.

Different demand trends within the same segment

The results point to a divergence within 3M’s Safety and Industrial portfolio. Data center and electrical applications are providing growth support, while abrasive materials remain under pressure in the third quarter. This means that overall segment growth does not necessarily reflect uniform improvement across all industrial product categories.

For abrasive materials suppliers, buyers and related manufacturers, the key issue is likely to be the pace at which demand from electrical and data center applications can translate into broader growth for the business. The nine-month figure indicates that the quarterly decline has not yet reversed the year-to-date position, but the latest result shows that near-term performance remains uneven.

3M also raised its full-year earnings-per-share guidance. That revision indicates that the company’s overall earnings outlook has strengthened despite the weaker quarterly performance in abrasive materials. Whether this improvement leads to a sustained recovery in the abrasive business will depend on subsequent sales trends and the continued expansion of the applications currently supporting segment growth.