Ace Sensations with Scotchgard Protector Adds Flair to Interior Designs While Protecting Against Stains

Interior walls are subjected to an array of scuffmarks, soil, stains and splatters. From neighborhood kids playing inside to busy parents scrambling to get a quick meal on the table, wall stains are inevitable and so is having to repaint. According to a recent study conducted by Harris Interactive, nearly four in 10 (37 percent) homeowners agree that the walls in their home could use repainting, while 42 percent of homeowners with children under age 12 agree that their walls could use fresh paint.

In fact, one in five homeowners with children repaint as often as once per year or more to keep their walls looking fresh and new. They identify fingerprints as the most common stain culprit (39 percent), followed by food and drink splatters (28 percent) and scuffmarks (17 percent). But now, there's a new paint to reduce the chore of having to repaint, while providing optimal stain and soil protection.

Ace Hardware and 3M have teamed up to create Ace Sensations with Scotchgard protector, the first-ever interior premium acrylic latex flat paint that not only brightens a room, but keeps stains at bay. Unlike the majority of other premium interior flat paints which don't deliver the washability and stain removal that consumers want, Ace Sensations with Scotchgard Protector is specially formulated to add protection against stains and burnishing, while providing a beautiful, flat finish for the life of the paint.

"Walls are stained, soiled and splattered through everyday living, and consumers are looking for a reliable way to protect the investment they make in home decorating," said Brian Kubicek, business development manager at 3M, maker of Scotchgard protector. "Ace Sensations with Scotchgard protector enables them to keep their walls looking freshly painted for longer because Ace Sensations matte flat retains its original appearance, without burnishing, when cleaned. It is effective in protecting against the most common stains, such as fingerprints and splatters from food and drinks."

Ace Sensations with Scotchgard protector takes paint to a new level by offering the appealing aesthetics of a flat paint with the easy cleaning benefits of a semigloss. Ace Sensations had the highest rating of washability in independent industry testing. Plus, Ace Sensations provides a mildew-resistant coating, making it a great choice to use in kitchens and baths. According to the Harris study, 66 percent of homeowners say the kitchen is most susceptible to wall stains, while 40 percent say the bathroom is most susceptible. These high-traffic areas can clearly benefit from Ace Sensations' mildew-resistant quality.

Ace Sensations with Scotchgard Protector is available in an almost limitless number of colors, ranging from classic creams to cool blues and warm browns. It is available exclusively at Ace Hardware stores nationwide at approximately $26.99 per gallon with a limited lifetime warranty. Ace Sensations with Scotchgard protector is the recipient of the Good Housekeeping Institute's 2005 Good Buy Award.

About the Survey

Harris Interactive conducted the telephone survey for 3M between March 31 and April 3, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 1,020 U.S. adults ages 18 and over, of whom 737 own a house, townhouse, condominium or cooperative apartment. Figures for age, sex, race and region were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Sampling error for the sample of homeowners is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

About Ace Hardware Corporation

Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry. Annual retail sales for Ace's 4,800 hardware, home center and lumber and building materials locations top $13 billion. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace currently operates 15 distribution centers in the United States and its retailers' stores are located in all 50 states and 70 countries. Ace Hardware has manufactured its own paint for more than 20 years. For more information on home improvement projects, visit your local Ace Hardware store or www.acehardware.com and click on the Answers@Ace icon.

About 3M - A Global, Diversified Technology Company

Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company's customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the company's 67,000 people use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and technology news, visit www.3M.com.

Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks of 3M.

Cohn & WolfeJill Wallis, 212-798-9837jill_wallis@nyc.cohnwolfe.comor3M Public RelationsColleen Harris, 651-733-1566www.3M.com/profile/pressbox/media_contacts.jhtml