W.W.
Grainger
Supplier of facilities
maintenance products.
Headquarters:
100 Grainger Parkway
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Employees: 16,374
CEO: Jim Ryan
Stock Symbol: GWW
Website:
http://www.grainger.com
Career Site
W.W. Grainger, Inc. is the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products in North America. Grainger serves 1.8 million customers through a network of 600 branches, 18 distribution centers, and multiple Web sites.
The company is best known for its huge 3,700+ page catalog of products for sale. It is also available on CD and on the Internet. Grainger's product line has expanded to more than 500,000 supplies and 2.5 million repair parts.
Grainger works with more than 1,300 suppliers
to provide customers with access to more than 800,000 products
from categories including:
- Adhesives
- Electrical
- Fasteners
- Hardware
- Filters
- Janitorial & Painting
- HVACR
- Lighting
- Material Handling
- Metalworking
- Motors & Power Transmission
- Pneumatics & Hydraulics
- Pumps & Plumbing
- Safety
- Security
- Test Instruments
- Tools
Grainger reported record sales of $6.9 billion in 2008 and net earnings of $475 million.
History
William W. (Bill) Grainger founded a wholesale
electric motor sales and distribution business in Chicago in
1927. He established the company to provide an efficient solution
for customers to access a consistent supply of electric motors.
The business was incorporated as W. W. Grainger, Inc. in 1928.
Sales in the early days were generated primarily through mail
order via post cards and a catalog. The MotorBook, as the catalog
was originally called and with just eight pages, was the basis
for today's Grainger catalog.
To improve customer service, Bill opened
a branch in Philadelphia in 1933 and then three additional branches
the following year. By 1936, there were 15 branches in operation.
It was evident that local branch service would be an integral
part of the company's future growth.
In 1967, Grainger became a public company,
and its stock was traded in the over-the-counter market.
Benefits
- Health & Well-Being Benefits - Grainger offers competitive health, dental,
mental health, and prescription drug benefits that are designed
to provide you with access to quality care at an affordable cost.
- Financial Security Benefits - Our financial security
benefits include a strong profit sharing plan as well as retiree
health coverage, life insurance and disability benefits. The
cornerstone of our benefits package, our profit sharing plan,
provides a valuable way to share in the success of the company.
- Work/Life Benefits - To help balance work and life outside
of work, Grainger provides employees with a variety of benefits
in addition to vacation and holidays. These benefits include
an employee assistance program, an adoption benefit, an educational
assistance program, a dependent care assistance plan, access
to auto and homeowners insurance, long term care, legal coverage
and a 3-for-1 matching charitable gifts program.
Updated April 3, 2009
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