The first abrasive robotics lab in India has been inaugurated by the material solutions company 3M. The lab is located at the Bengaluru centre of the company. This addition increases the total number of such labs within the company to 17 on a global scale. 3M India, which is the Indian listed subsidiary of 3M, has an employee count of around 1,100 individuals. This number contributes to the overall employee base of about 90,000 people. Among these 1,100 employees, roughly 10 percent are members of the research and development (R&D) team. Hari Parthasarathi, the Application Engineer Leader for India, Southeast Asia (SEA), and Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) at 3M, mentioned that the company has plans to raise the number of employees as demand increases, although specific figures were not shared. Terry Ceulemans, who is the Global Application Engineering Director at 3M, expressed that the reason for investing in the abrasive robotics lab in India is the growing market in the country. According to company executives, the growth of 3M in India is being driven by an increase in customers who are looking for automation solutions. They observed that the current emphasis on exports is leading to a requirement for stringent quality control, which is, in turn, boosting the demand. In its manufacturing operations and lab-based product development, 3M employs robotic processing. The company also utilises emerging technologies like machine learning to create products that are ready for automation and perform exceptionally well in industrial environments. By focusing on assisting manufacturers in utilising automation to produce higher-quality components more efficiently and at a reduced expense, 3M also intends to tackle labour-related challenges and enhance worker safety. Also read:  Bahrain Steel partners with Essar Group for Green Steel InitiativeCM Gehlot approves Rs 246.81 bn investment boost for Rajasthan's growth