Comment by wombatpm
3 hours ago
The story with 3M and PostIt Notes is that the idea was originally rejected my management. The inventors created a batch and distributed them to all the executive admin assistants. When they went back a second time, they had the assistants speak up otherwise there would not be any more.
I didn't bring up 3M because of the Post-it story, but because they're being a "general research" company. From open reel tapes to sticky tapes and everything in between.
Würth is also similar. They make seemingly everything in a segment (lubrication, fuel additives, cleaning, restoration, protection, etc. etc.).