3M has launched its latest automotive window film, 3M Crystalline in India. This product makes its debut here after Taiwan. "We will launch 3M Crystalline all over Asia," Katja Finger, business development manager, building safety solutions dept, told Autocar Professional.

3M Crystalline will cater to the high-end market with a price tag of Rs 10,000-15,000 depending on the size of the car. Although this segment forms only a small part of the entire car population in India, Srinivas Raman, general manager, 3M India, said that the product is part of the attack portfolio being offered in the non-paint consumable segment in the automotive aftermarket. 3M India has a 35 percent share in this segment through dent repair, paint repair and sealants offered as solutions.

"There is an increasing interest in car aesthetics and grooming. The important thing is the customer is asking for this, and he is willing to pay more for it. So we do see some appetite for this window film starting in the C-segment," he added. 3M India will use two separate routes to retail and market 3M Crystalline. The first is through the 3M Car Detailing Program at car dealerships and new car showrooms. Here, 3M provides do-it-for-you services in car aesthetics and car grooming such as treatments to maintain interiors and exteriors.

The second route is through its tie-up with Autocorp India, the provider of car security and entertainment systems. Autocorp India has a network of 2,500 branches at new car showrooms and car accessory outlets across the country. "We are using both our inherent strengths in the dealership model and Autocorp's strengths in what they bring to the market," said Raman.

3M India has over 2,000 diverse products in industrial, automotive and speciality materials, electrical and telecom, healthcare, traffic and safety, electronics, construction and consumer and office markets. The automotive and speciality materials form about 40 percent of the company's turnover. Raman added that 3M Crystalline's technological edge as well as the company's presence and credibility in the automotive aftermarket it caters to are the key advantages it has over competition.