The adhesive cellophane tape known as the “scotch tape” was not patented in Scotland at all as perspicacious readers may think but in the United States. This was done by Richard Drew, a laboratory technician at 3M Inc. In September of the same year, the firm sold the first roll of “tapes for trade.” Sales have not picked up greatly until 1937 in the United States and the new product did not reach the Soviet Union until 1970s. Yet, readers who guessed it wrong may be excused: they were not totally wrong to associate the name with Scotland. During early test production, drew only applied adhesive compounds to edges of the tape. Astute testers of the tape saw that as a characteristic Scottish frugality, and the word “Scotch” adhered to the packaging tape instantly.