Erosion coating provides significant performance advantages

St. Paul, MN – May 6, 2013 – Awareness is growing in the wind industry about the severe impact that erosion on the leading edge of wind blades can have on turbine output. Erosion can lead to a significant loss in annual energy production, costing owners and operators thousands of dollars. Blade repair and protection can help provide significant annual energy production improvements, reduce costly downtime, and protect the integrity of the blade.

3M Renewable Energy Division is now introducing a new and innovative solution for blade protection at WINDPOWER, May 5-8, 2013 in Chicago, Ill. 3M™ Wind Blade Protection Coating W4600 is a two-component polyurethane coating that provides excellent erosion protection properties to help prevent and repair leading edge erosion on wind blades.

3M has a proven history of providing highly durable solutions in the industry with its 3M™ Wind Blade Protection Tape. This product has provided significant reductions in leading edge erosion, and has also helped extend maintenance and service intervals. Designed to offer game-changing performance and protection, 3M Wind Blade Protection Coating W4600 further expands 3M's portfolio of erosion protection solutions. The coating is designed for application in OEM facilities and can be easily applied via brush or casting.

"3M has performed extensive testing on this product and customers will see that it provides superior performance for a critical industry need," said Christian Claus, business development manager, 3M Renewable Energy Division. "We are proud to expand our product offering to the wind industry."

About 3M

3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs about 88,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter. For a record-setting ninth consecutive year, 3M received the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy for its comprehensive worldwide energy conservation efforts. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.