3M Next Gear: digital platform takes aim at smarter automotive sourcing

Responsible: ad hoc news Software & Services Desk. Reviewed prior to publication on June 12, 2026 at 10:31:02 PM ET. Details in the imprint.

With 3M Next Gear, 3M Company is putting a dedicated digital platform in front of automotive OEMs and tier suppliers that need to choose paints, adhesives, abrasives and other materials more efficiently. The online interface packages 3M's application engineering know-how into guided workflows, search tools and collaboration features that promise faster sourcing cycles and more consistent material choices across programs. The service is pitched as an enabler for automakers dealing with lightweighting, electrification and stricter sustainability targets, and it is available to U.S.-based customers as part of 3M's broader automotive solutions portfolio.

What 3M Next Gear aims to do for automotive customers

According to 3M, the Next Gear platform is designed to give engineers, buyers and production planners a single digital entry point into the company's automotive technologies, from body repair to structural bonding to appearance solutions. Instead of relying only on one-to-one conversations and PDF catalogs, users can log into a digital interface that organizes products, technical data and recommendations by application area, such as exterior trim attachment, paint repair, sound deadening or EV battery pack assembly. 3M positions the tool as a way to accelerate design decisions and reduce the trial-and-error that can delay program timelines for new vehicle platforms.

In practice, that means the platform supports project-based workflows where engineering and sourcing teams can share candidate materials, review specifications and request additional support from 3M specialists. For example, a body-in-white team working on a mixed-material structure might use Next Gear to screen available structural adhesives by substrate compatibility, cure profile, crash performance data and OEM approvals, then send a narrowed list to 3M for deeper validation. By centralizing that interaction, 3M can keep track of program history and help customers avoid repeating past testing when similar use cases arise.

While 3M has long offered technical support and custom recommendations, the Next Gear initiative is notable because it tries to systematize that expertise in a reusable digital form. Structured product data, filterable property fields and templated workflows are meant to reduce reliance on ad hoc email chains and phone calls, especially for global platforms where engineering is spread across regions. For automotive customers aiming to harmonize material sets between North American and other plants, that kind of centralized tool can be a practical step toward standardization.

The platform also reflects a broader shift in how industrial suppliers respond to OEM expectations for more transparent, data-rich engagement. Automotive companies increasingly expect real-time access to technical data, sustainability information and supply status when they evaluate materials. While 3M has not publicly detailed every data field exposed in Next Gear, the launch messaging underscores access to relevant product parameters and documentation in a structured interface. That direction lines up with industry demands around faster sourcing cycles and more rigorous documentation for regulatory and quality audits.

Positioning in 3M's software and service strategy

Next Gear is one of several steps 3M has taken in recent years to attach software and digital services to its physical product lines. In safety and industrial segments, the group has pushed connected PPE and digital management tools; in health care, it has invested heavily in coding, reimbursement and documentation software. The automotive-focused Next Gear platform fits that pattern by turning material selection and application support into an ongoing digital service rather than a purely transactional interaction.

From a portfolio perspective, automotive products sit within 3M's Transportation and Electronics and Safety and Industrial business groups, which historically have contributed a meaningful share of revenue. Digital layers like Next Gear do not replace tapes, films, abrasives or adhesives, but they can help lock in those sales by making 3M's offering more embedded in customers' engineering processes. For large OEMs, once a design and sourcing workflow has been built around a specific supplier interface, switching becomes more complex, which can support retention.

Availability details are framed at a global level in 3M's communications, but the platform is marketed to U.S. automakers and tier suppliers that already rely on 3M consumables in body shops and manufacturing plants. Access terms have not been publicly broken out as a standalone subscription fee in U.S. dollars; based on how similar industrial platforms are rolled out, it is reasonable to infer that Next Gear is bundled as part of account-level support for qualifying customers rather than offered as a mass-market SaaS for individual users. Interested engineering or procurement teams typically start through their existing 3M sales contacts or through a registration form on 3M's automotive solutions pages.

For U.S.-based users, an important practical point is integration into existing sourcing and engineering routines. Many OEMs and tier suppliers rely on internal PLM and ERP systems to manage materials, and digital supplier tools need to fit alongside those platforms. 3M has not disclosed deep technical integration details publicly, but the emphasis on project workflows and collaborative features suggests the company is trying to make Next Gear a daily working tool for account teams rather than a static catalog overlay. That would align with a broader trend in industrial software, where suppliers aim to move from one-off quoting tools to ongoing collaboration environments tied to specific vehicle programs.

Automotive customers evaluating the platform will likely compare it with competing digital offerings from other material suppliers, especially those focused on adhesives, coatings and surface solutions. Larger rivals also promote online portals and data-rich tools, so differentiation will depend on how well Next Gear captures 3M's application-specific knowledge, how intuitive the interface is for engineers, and whether it speeds up real decision-making. Given 3M's broad footprint in repair and OEM applications, the company has extensive case histories and testing data it can surface in such a tool; the key is operationalizing that content in a way that feels useful rather than overwhelming.

For now, Next Gear underlines that software and data services are becoming a more visible part of 3M's value proposition alongside physical products. That shift matters for how the group presents itself to automakers wrestling with electrification, new materials and cost pressure. Within the company, initiatives like this also provide a test bed for digital capabilities that can later be extended to other segments beyond automotive if they prove effective. Shares of 3M Company (US88579Y1010, ticker MMM) traded at $157.08 on the New York Stock Exchange on June 11, 2026, according to public price data.

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