Company Profile
Grainger
Company Overview
Grainger helps customers save time and money by providing them the right products to keep their facilities up and running.
Grainger's customers are 1.8 million businesses and institutions across North America and China. While each customer has a unique facility to operate and a different problem to solve, our customers all share the same requirement: when they need one of Grainger's products, they often need it right away.
With more than 17,000 knowledgeable employees, the Grainger team works closely with customers to better understand their challenges and provide cost-saving solutions. Grainger's employees serve customers more than 115,000 times every day through multiple channels.
With 2007 sales of $6.4 billion, Grainger is a Fortune 500 company and a perennial member of Fortune magazine's Most Admired Companies list.
Company 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, 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. Today, Grainger stock is sold under the GWW symbol on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges.
To remain the leader in the industry, Grainger seized technology opportunities early. In 1976, Grainger became the first in the industry to implement optical character recognition equipment. Grainger continued to advance its systems throughout the 1980s by installing a national satellite-based digital communication network. In 1991, Grainger introduced the first comprehensive electronic MRO catalog on CD-ROM. Grainger launched the corporate Web site in 1995 and began taking orders online in 1996.
Over the last 80 years, Grainger's product line has expanded to more than 800,000 products and repair parts. The Grainger branch network has grown steadily over the years, and today there are more than 425 Grainger branches in the U.S. and nearly 600 in North America and China.
The 4000+-page Grainger catalog is published annually and is available on CD-ROM and online at Grainger.com, the company's award-winning Web site.
Grainger Timeline
March 1927
Company founded in Chicago, Ill.; generates sales through an eight-page catalog - the Motorbook
November 1933
Opens first branch in Philadelphia, Pa.
December 1942
Expands to 24 branches and 24 territory sales reps
December 1952
Celebrates 25th year with 46 branches, 54 territory sales reps and 104 pages in the Motorbook
March 1967
Becomes a publicly traded company
December 1972
Expands to 123 branches in 40 states with 218 territory sales reps
July 1975
Lists on New York Stock Exchange
September 1981
Reaches 1,000-page milestone for Motorbook; introduces an automated storage and retrieval system for central distribution center
February 1983
Decentralizes distribution with opening of regional distribution center in Kansas City, Mo.
December 1984
Breaks $1 billion annual sales mark 1984
April 1992
Acquires Lab Safety Supply, a premier direct marketing company
June 1995
Launches first Web site
December 1996
Acquires the industrial distribution business of Acklands Limited
August 2001
Opens first of nine highly automated distribution centers
March 2002
Celebrates 75 years of serving customers
April 2003
Grainger's Lab Safety Supply subsidiary acquires direct marketer Gempler's.
October 2003
Announces a multi-year branch expansion program to increase its market presence in the United States
March 2004
Logistics network project reaches completion with opening of capstone distribution center in New Jersey
July 2005
Grainger celebrates 10 years serving customers through its Web site
August 2005
Donates over $1 million in cash and emergency supplies to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
January 2006
Implements SAP, an Enterprise Resource Planning System to connect the company's broad product line, multiple channels and strong logistics network
July 2006
Partners with the American Red Cross to sponsor Ready When the Time Comes, a corporate volunteer training program which facilitates the training of corporate employees to become Red Cross volunteers during times of disaster
March 2007
Celebrates 80 years of serving customers
Notable Clients
Grainger's diverse customer base is comprised of facilities maintenance professionals from businesses and institutions of all sizes.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
MCM Top 100 - Multichannel Merchant (July 2007)
No. 4, Big 50 Distributors - Industrial Distribution (June 2007)
No. 3 America's Most Admired Companies, Diversified Wholesalers - Fortune (March 19, 2007)
Named one of America's 100 Most Trustworthy Companies - Forbes (March 2007)
Grainger honored with a 2006 Supplier Performance Award from the U.S. Postal Service.
No. 67, 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2007 - Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine
Grainger received ARPAC's Gold Partnership Award for 2006.
Grainger received SYSCO Corporation's Facilities 2006 Operations Supplier of the Year award.
Grainger ranked one of BtoB magazine's "10 Great Web Sites" (Sept. 11, 2006)
No. 6, The 50 Best Companies to Sell For - Selling Power
No. 78, Top 100 Best Companies to Work for in IT – ComputerWorld
No. 3, the BIG 50 – Industrial Distribution
No. 2, Top 10 Electrical Distributors – Industrial Distribution
No. 93, 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2006 – Business Ethics
No. 1132, Leading Companies on the Forbes Global 2000 list – Forbes
No. 328, Corebrands’ list of value of brand equity
No. 142, Barron's 500 America's Best Companies – Barrons
Grainger won the coveted "Most Prepared Supplier Award" at the PRIME Advantage conference.
Grainger ranked number 391 on the 2006 Fortune 500 list. Grainger was ranked sixth among Diversified Wholesalers.
Grainger receives the Championing Diversity Award, from Limited Logistics Services, an award given in recognition of Limited Brands Associates and suppliers who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to furthering the Supplier Diversity initiative.
Grainger makes Fortune magazine’s America’s Most Admired Companies 2006 list in the Wholesalers: Diversified category.
Grainger receives the 2005 MASTAR award from building products manufacturer Masco Corporation.
No. 2, 2005 Big 50 Distributors - Industrial Distribution Magazine
No. 258, Ranking - S&P 500
No. 1132, Largest Companies in the World, 2005 - Forbes
No. 2, America's Most Admired Companies, Diversified Wholesalers Category in 2005 - Fortune
No. 1, The 50 Largest Industrial Distributors - The Electrical Distributor Magazine
Dividend Aristocrat List - Standard & Poor's
No. 16, Top 25 Military-Friendly Employers - G.I. Jobs Magazine
2004 Quality Supplier Award - USPS
100 Agile Companies - CIO Magazine
No. 1, 2004 Big 50 Distributors - Industrial Distribution Magazine
Fortune 500, America's Top Companies - Fortune
Super 500, America's Top Companies - Forbes
Forbes 2000, World's Largest Companies - Forbes
Best of the Web, Indirect Procurement Category - Forbes
No. 1 Industrial Distributor (Annual Sales) - Industrial Distribution Magazine
Friendliest Companies to the Military for its Reservist Policy - GI Jobs
InformationWeek 500, America's Largest and Most Innovative IT Organizations - InformationWeek
Director's Award - General Service Administration
CIO 100, The World's Most Resourceful Organizations with Use of IT - CIO Magazine
NetMarketing 100, Top Business-to-Business Web Sites - B-to-B Magazine
Global 1000, The World's Most valuable Companies - BusinessWeek
Business Week magazine picked Grainger as a top performing stock in April 2002.
Grainger was named to Fortune magazine’s list of Most Admired Companies in 2002.
Grainger was named to Forbes’ annual list of Most Admired Companies in 2002.
Grainger was nominated to Smart Business Magazine’s list of 50 companies that “get” the Internet in 2000 and 2001.
Grainger was voted one of the top 25 companies to work for in Chicago by Chicago magazine in 2000.
Benefits
Grainger employees experience a unique working environment—the stability of an established industry leader combined with interesting opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference for our customers.
At Grainger, we take pride in offering a benefits package that is among the best around. Just as our business strives to meet the changing needs of our customers, our benefits are designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Here’s a look at some of the extensive benefits currently offered by Grainger:
Health & Well Being – Grainger offers you competitive health, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits that are designed to provide quality care at an affordable cost. In its corporate headquarters Grainger provides a Wellness and a Fitness Center.
Financial Security – Grainger has a strong profit sharing plan as well as retiree health coverage, life insurance and disability benefits. For 2006 Grainger contributed a record $104.3 million to the profit sharing trust (PST). At an employees' 5-year anniversary, those who do not participate in other stock option programs receive 100 stock options. Grainger also provides employee discount on all its merchandise, along with employee discounts on items ranging from automobiles to computers.
Work/Life – To help employees achieve a work/life balance, Grainger provides a variety of programs and benefits including an employee assistance program, an adoption benefit program, an educational assistance program, a dependent care assistance plan, access to auto and homeowners insurance and a 3-for-1 matching charitable gifts program.
Employee Development – Grainger offers its employees development programs, including tuition reimbursement, leadership development, and many courses through the Grainger Learning Center. Tuition reimbursement covers tuition up to $5,000 annually, and then 50% of everything over that. The Employee Development Center (EDC), located at Grainger’s headquarters, features classrooms, training rooms and a video-conferencing capability. All Grainger employees can participate in training and educational courses that support Grainger’s business initiatives.