3M Bolsters Nebraska Operations With Major Capacity Investment

Personal protective equipment demand continues to drive expansion plans at 3M’s Valley facility, where the company is committing substantial resources to scale production capabilities. The industrial giant is directing approximately $58 million toward a strategic growth initiative at its Nebraska site, which currently operates with roughly 560 employees.

Investment Scope and Job Creation

The capital project encompasses an 80,000 square-foot facility upgrade designed to significantly boost output for the Personal Safety Division. The expansion strategy will generate approximately 50 new positions at the Valley location, strengthening the region’s workforce. Infrastructure improvements include manufacturing lines, specialized equipment upgrades, and expanded warehouse capabilities to handle increased production volumes.

Production Focus and Market Positioning

The Valley plant specializes in manufacturing for 3M’s Personal Safety Division, with particular emphasis on reusable elastomeric respirators and PELTOR™ hearing protection solutions. Ray Eby, leading the Personal Safety Division, highlighted the strategic importance: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to serving customers across two critical product categories while enhancing operational efficiency and reducing production timelines to meet market needs.”

Enhanced capacity translates directly into faster turnaround times for orders and improved ability to respond to customer demand across personal safety equipment categories.

Strategic Partnership and Economic Impact

The growth initiative leverages the ImagiNE Nebraska Program, a tax incentive framework designed to stimulate corporate investment and employment expansion throughout the state. This collaboration reflects mutual commitment between 3M and Nebraska’s economic development infrastructure.

The Valley facility represents 3M’s long-standing Nebraska presence, having operated continuously since 1979—spanning more than four decades of consistent operations. The site has proven instrumental during periods of heightened PPE demand, particularly demonstrating supply chain resilience during recent global health events.

Historical Context

The Personal Safety Division marks a significant milestone this year, commemorating five decades since the introduction of the first U.S. government-approved 3M filtering facepiece respirator—technology that evolved into modern N95 solutions. The same timeframe encompasses the 3M E-A-R Classic Ear Plug anniversary, underscoring the division’s foundational role in occupational safety innovation.