Vikings’ Stadium Receives Lightweight ETFE Film Roof from 3M

3M was recently named the Official Science Partner of the Minnesota Vikings team. As such, 3M’s science and technology will be used throughout the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The partnership is a 10-year deal that allows 3M and the Vikings to work together on specific creative media projects, provides branded signage inside U.S. Bank Stadium and makes 3M the preferred supplier of branded first aid stations in the stadium.

“We’re proud to partner with the Minnesota Vikings to help bring the story of 3M science to an even broader audience,” said Don Branch, vice president and chief marketing officer for 3M. “We can apply our science in so many ways to help provide customer solutions. More than 50 3M products have gone into the design and build of this architectural marvel – U.S. Bank Stadium.”
3M technology will be utilized throughout the stadium – from the graphic films and DI-NOC Architectural finishes in concessions, to the Fluoroplastic ETFE on the clear, lightweight and self-cleaning roof constructed by Vector Foiltec with film manufactured from 3M Dyneon Fluoroplastic ETFE by NOWOFOL Kunststoffprodukte GmbH. 3M fire barrier products will also protect the stadium for years to come.

To create an enjoyable year-round environment, the stadium was designed with high-performance film, extruded from 3M Dyneon Fluoroplastic ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene). The product permits outdoor light without weather restrictions and is more cost-effective than retractable alternatives.

The stadium’s 248,000 square-foot roof is covered by 75 three-layer ETFE film cushions, making it the first – and largest – stadium in the U.S. to use an ETFE roof. Use of the film instead of a retractable roof reduced construction costs by approximately $100 million.

The film is designed with a geometric print pattern which scatters the sunlight and prevents a greenhouse effect in summer, but protects fans from frigid temperatures in the winter. It is also only about five percent of the weight of glass.


“Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene polymer (ETFE) – is extruded to a clear, lightweight film used on the roof panels,” said Paula D. Johnson-Mason, global business director – Polymers with 3M Advanced Materials Division.

The product lends the stadium the best of both worlds – protecting players and fans from the elements while letting in sunlight for an open-air feel.

“It has only a fraction of the weight of glass, is flexible, and has non-stick properties that encourage the snow to slide right off,” she added. “3M Dyneon Fluoroplastic ETFE is used worldwide in a number of new commercial and public buildings.”