3M Hefei, a major local branch of the US giant Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, plans to become a super manufacturing hub for the company, capable of producing a variety of products.

3M currently relies on around 10 single-product sites across the country, said Gordon An, senior manager of 3M Hefei, based in the capital city of East China's Anhui province.

The new plant is being built at a cost of 1 billion yuan ($16.3 million) in the Hefei State Hi-tech Industry Development Zone and will become the US company's biggest site in China, with production expected to be 2 billion yuan worth of industry and transportation-related products.