reductions, plus factory efficiencies, drove a 4.1 percent increase in operating income. Operating income margins increased 1.0 percentage points to 22.3 percent.

 

Year 2011 results:

 

Safety, Security and Protection Services sales increased 15.2 percent in 2011. H1N1-related comparisons reduced 2011 sales growth by 2.5 percent, as 3M generated sales related to the H1N1 virus in the first three quarters of 2010. Even with this difficult comparison, organic local-currency sales growth was 7.1 percent. Acquisitions added 4.7 percent, with this benefit primarily related to Attenti Holdings S.A. and Cogent Inc., which were acquired in the fourth quarter of 2010. Attenti Holdings S.A. is a supplier of remote people-monitoring technologies used for offender-monitoring applications and to assist eldercare facilities in monitoring and enhancing the safety of patients. Cogent Inc. is a provider of finger, palm, face and iris biometric systems for governments, law enforcement agencies, and commercial enterprises. Foreign currency effects added 3.4 percent to 2011 sales. All geographic regions posted positive sales growth, with sales growth led by Asia Pacific, Latin America/Canada, and the U.S. These three regions all had sales growth in excess of 15 percent.

 

Sales increased in all businesses. Sales dollar increases were largest in personal protection products, security systems, building and commercial services, and infrastructure protection. Sales growth in personal protection products, or more specifically, respiratory products, was hampered by H1N1-related comparisons, partially offset by some modest additional sales of personal protective equipment related to the cleanup efforts in Japan.

 

Operating income for 2011 rose 14.9 percent to $814 million. 3M achieved a 21.3 percent operating income margin, despite H1N1-related comparisons that negatively impacted results.



Display and Graphics Business (11.9% of consolidated sales):

  

The Display and Graphics segment serves markets that include electronic display, traffic safety and commercial graphics. This segment includes optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; architectural surface and lighting solutions; and mobile interactive solutions, including mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer screen films. The optical film business provides films that serve numerous market segments of the electronic display industry. 3M provides distinct products for five market segments, including products for: 1) LCD computer monitors 2) LCD televisions 3) handheld devices such as cellular phones and tablets 4) notebook PCs and 5) automotive displays. The optical business includes a number of different products that are protected by various patents and groups of patents. These patents provide varying levels of exclusivity to 3M for a number of such products. As some of 3M’s optical film patents expire at the end of 2013 and over several years thereafter, 3M will likely see more competition in these products. 3M continues to innovate in the area of optical films and files patents