In 2008, 3M announced the acquisition of Aearo Technologies with the ballyhoo befitting a $1.2 billion deal.
Today, Aearo is a millstone that could drag on 3M's finances for years to come.
Aearo's line of military earplugs is at the heart of one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history, potentially saddling 3M with tens of billions of dollars in liabilities.