polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants headquartered in Haguenau, France. In October 2008, 3M also completed its acquisition of Meguiar’s Inc., a 100-year-old business that manufactures the leading Meguiar’s brand of car care products for cleaning and protecting automotive surfaces, which is headquartered in Irvine, California.

 

Investment:

 

In March 2005, 3M’s automotive business completed the purchase of 19 percent of TI&M Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (TI&M) for approximately $55 million. TI&M is the parent company of I&T Innovation Technology Entwicklungsund Holding Aktiengesellschaft (I&T), an Austrian maker of flat flexible cable and circuitry. Pursuant to a Shareholders Agreement, 3M marketed the firm’s flat flexible wiring systems for automotive interior applications to the global automotive market. I&T filed a petition for bankruptcy protection in August 2006. As part of its agreement to purchase the shares of TI&M, the Company was granted a put option, which gave the Company the right to sell back its entire ownership interest in TI&M to the other investors from whom 3M acquired its 19 percent interest. The put option became exercisable January 1, 2007. The Company exercised the put option and recovered approximately $25 million of its investment from one of the investors based in Belgium in February 2007. The other two TI&M investors have filed a bankruptcy petition in Austria. The Company is pursuing recovery of the balance of  its investment both through the Austrian bankruptcy proceedings and pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement. The Company received approximately $6 million of its investment back in the fourth quarter of 2008. The Company believes collection of its remaining investment is probable and, as a result, no impairment reserve has been recorded.

 

Health Care Business (18.6% of consolidated sales):

 

The Health Care segment serves markets that include medical clinics and hospitals, pharmaceuticals, dental and orthodontic practitioners, and health information systems. Products and services provided to these and other markets include medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems and anti-microbial solutions. As discussed in Note 2, 3M completed the sale of its global branded pharmaceuticals business in Europe in January 2007.

 

Fourth quarter and year 2009 results:

 

Fourth-quarter sales in Health Care were $1.1 billion, up nearly 11 percent in dollars and up 6 percent in local currency. Foreign exchange impacts added nearly 5 percent to fourth quarter sales. Sales increased in every business within health care, most notably infection prevention, skin and wound care and health information systems. The orthodontics business also showed a nice rebound in the fourth quarter. Geographically, sales grew in all major areas led by Canada, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

 

Fourth-quarter 2009 operating income increased to $375 million, or 32.7 percent of sales, with operating income growth driven by favorable product mix, good cost control and continued productivity