CHICAGO, May 22, 2001 – Grainger.com president James T. Ryan will speak today to analysts attending the Second Annual Bear Stearns Industrial Power Technologies Conference in Boston, Mass. A complete copy of Ryan’s presentation is available at the investor relations section of Grainger’s website, www.grainger.com. The presentation will be audiocast live at 9:40 A.M. EDT and will be available on the Bear Stearns website, www.bearstearns.com/conferences/industrial, for 30 days following the conference.
In the presentation, Ryan discusses the importance of the online channel to Grainger’s overall growth strategy, as it offers customers unique features that help save time and money throughout the procurement process. “Operating online is not only a sustainable way of doing business, it also allows us to leverage one of our major strengths—a wealth of information about each and every product we sell,” he says.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), with 2000 sales of $5 billion, is the leading North American provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies and related information to businesses and institutions. Grainger shares are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges. For more information, visit Grainger online at www.grainger.com.