and related benefits, which negatively impacted operating income growth by 1.9%.

In 2005, Safety, Security and Protection Services local-currency sales growth was 6.9%, driven by broad-based growth across the business portfolio and geographies. The continued global threat posed by terrorism, natural disasters, SARS and Avian flu helped raise the awareness in the general public about the importance of personal protective equipment, especially respiratory protection for overall health. Sales growth was driven by continued strong global demand for personal protection products and solutions, particularly respiratory protection products, along with strong demand for cleaning and protection products for commercial buildings. Roofing granules for asphalt shingles also showed solid sales growth. Operating income improved 15.4% in 2005.

Electro and Communications Business (10.8% of consolidated sales):

The Electro and Communications segment serves the electrical, electronics and communications industries, including electrical utilities; electrical construction, maintenance and repair; OEM electrical and electronics; computers and peripherals; consumer electronics; telecommunications central office, outside plant and enterprise; as well as aerospace, military, automotive and medical markets.  This segment provides products that enable the efficient transmission of electrical power and speed the delivery of information and ideas. Products include electronic and interconnect solutions, microinterconnect systems, high-performance fluids, high-temperature and display tapes, telecommunications products and electrical products.

In 2006, the Electro and Communications business posted sales of $2.483 billion. Organic local-currency growth for 2006 of 4.2% was attributable to the electrical and electronics markets. Acquisitions contributed 1.4% to sales growth. 3M generated good top-line growth in its electrical markets division, which sells a number of insulating, testing and connecting products and solutions to both power utilities and manufacturing OEMs. 3M also continues to see good growth from its electronics markets business, driven by double-digit growth in its semi-conductor and assemblies business. Partially offsetting this was some sales softness in our U.S. communications markets business due to higher copper costs. Operating income declined by 2.1% to $438 million. Operating income includes $46 million in restructuring expenses, primarily comprised of asset impairments and severance and related benefits, which negatively impacted operating income growth by 10.3%. Operating margins continue to be impacted by rising raw material costs, specifically copper costs, in our electrical and telecommunications markets businesses.

In 2005, local-currency sales in Electro and Communications increased 4.2%, with improving end market conditions and success in developing new applications for existing products into new applications helping the business post its best local-currency growth since 2000. Local-currency growth accelerated in the second half of 2005, with local-currency growth in the fourth quarter of 2005 up 10.9%. Local-currency growth was led by