3M said on Tuesday (Apr 25) it would cut about 6,000 positions globally as the US industrial conglomerate looks to focus on high-growth businesses, including automotive electrification and home improvement.

Shares of the St Paul, Minnesota-based company were up 1.6 per cent at US$106.7 in premarket trade.

The move comes as consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending as a series of interest rate hikes over the past year to bring down stubbornly high inflation has stoked fears of an economic downturn.

3M, which makes everything from ‘Scotch’ tape and ‘Post-it’ notes to power tools and medical products, has been raising prices to offset a hit from surging commodity costs.

“We announced actions that will reduce costs at the corporate centre, further simplify and strengthen our supply chain structure, and streamline our go-to-market business models, which will improve margins and cash flow,” said 3M CEO Mike Roman.

These restructuring actions are expected to affect all functions, businesses, and geographies, the company said, adding that the job cut is in addition to the reduction of 2,500 roles announced earlier this year.

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The company had about 92,000 employees, as of Dec 31, 2022, according to its annual filing.

3M anticipates annual pre-tax savings of US$700 million to US$900 million upon completion of the cost-cut actions.

The St Paul, Minnesota-based company reported an adjusted profit of US$1.97 per share for the quarter ended March 31, down from US$2.63 per share a year earlier. REUTERS