W.W. Grainger, Inc. - Introduction

Introduction

100 Grainger Parkway
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045-5201
U.S.A.
Telephone: (847) 793-9030
Fax: (847) 647-5669
Web site: http://www.grainger.com

Public Company
Incorporated: 1928
Employees: 14,701
Sales: $4.66 billion (2004)
Stock Exchanges: New York
Ticker Symbol: GWW
NAIC: 423610 Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers; 423830 Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers; 423840 Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers; 423990 Other Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is the largest distributor of maintenance, repair, and operating supplies to the commercial, industrial, contractor, and institutional markets in North America. As of 2004, the company held the largest worldwide percentage of market share—about 5 percent—of any corporation in its market. It has accomplished steady growth of 7 to 10 percent annually, not primarily through diversification but by expansion of its core business in terms of geographic scope and volume of its product line. Privately held until March 1967, the company finances most growth internally. The company has traditionally served small industrial contractors and institutions but expanded in the late 20th century to serve specialty markets for general industrial, replacement parts, and safety and sanitary products, and to supply large corporations with multiple locations. By the early 21st century the company had also expanded its order-processing system, featuring Internet-based ordering with same-day delivery and facilitated billing through electronic data interchange (EDI) and electronic funds transfer (EFT).