True Grit: Scientist uses his farm background to develop a cutting-edge abrasive.

"The grain auger was the ticket to commercializing the product without spending a lot of money," said Scherger."

3M scientist Jerry Scherger, Abrasive Systems Division, had an idea. He became convinced there was a strong new market niche for 3M™ Cubitron™ Abrasive Grain in the bonded abrasive wheel industry, even though the tough synthetic mineral used to coat 3M's successful line of coated abrasives -- a.k.a. sandpaper -- could directly compete with abrasive wheels used to finish automotive parts and other machinery.

Scherger's research proved there was ample room for 3M to be both supplier and competitor in the same industry. Thanks to 3M's 15 percent work rule, which gives employees time to pursue projects that are of interest to them that they believe will benefit the company, Scherger stuck his nose (or in this case, his mineral) to the grindstone. Then, serendipity led Scherger to a company banquet where he spent an evening explaining his idea to a division vice president.

Getting loose-grain samples of Cubitron to manufacturers of abrasive wheels to get their feedback meant ramping up production -- now Scherger needed the equipment to trial the product with customers. Necessity prompted Scherger to get innovative. Digging back to his farm roots, he recalled a simple $300 grain auger used to coat grain with a liquid insecticide. He applied that same idea and mixed Cubitron with a crucial solvent; his brainchild worked. Production was doubled at the same time customer demand took off.

"The grain auger was the ticket to commercializing the product without spending a lot of money," said Scherger.

The entire line of Cubitron-based products has benefited from Scherger's and others' innovations. Today, Cubitron 321 grain is a product with exceptional grinding performance that has a worldwide presence in the multi-million dollar grinding-wheel industry.