Grainger Brings First-Class Service to Businesses in China
(September 25, 2006, Shanghai): Grainger, the leading North American provider of facility maintenance products, today announced the opening of its first facility in China. The Master Branch, located in the Shanghai suburb of Minhang, will initially stock approximately 20,000 products businesses and institutions need to keep their facilities running. Guaranteed availability of products in multiple categories will make it easy and convenient for customers to get the right solution when they need it.
Grainger has also recently published a Chinese language catalogue featuring all the products carried in the Master Branch and has launched a web site, at http://www.grainger.com.cn, making it easy for customers in China to find and order everything they need from one source. By greatly reducing the effort needed to locate the right products to maintain their facilities, Grainger helps customers save time and money.
¡°Grainger is honored to be a part of the rapidly expanding economy in China,¡± said Grainger Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Keyser. ¡°As global and local businesses grow in this country, they need suppliers they can rely on to provide them with a broad range of quality products when and where needed. Grainger has industry leading experience in helping its customers in North America get more efficient by consolidating their purchases of maintenance and repair supplies. We look forward to serving businesses in China, giving them no reason to turn to anyone but Grainger for all their facility maintenance needs.¡±
Grainger's Presence in Shanghai has Multiple Aspects
The new Master Branch in Minhang reflects Grainger's strengths in North America. With 12,000m2 of space housing approximately 20,000 products, the Master Branch provides customers with products in several categories including Electrical, Lighting, Tools, Test & Instruments, Pneumatics, Plumbing, Material Handling, Safety, Security, Metal Working and HVAC.
The Grainger Chinese language catalogue, a unique feature for the distribution industry in this country, contains detailed information about all the products available through the Master Branch. All the listed products are available immediately ¨C a service that few other suppliers offer. Customers can also visit the web site at http://www.grainger.com.cn to find the products they need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Grainger also has a customer service center located in central Shanghai that offers sales consultation.
China's Manufacturing Industry Provides Big Opportunities
As global manufacturing companies continue to move to China, the market for maintenance, repair and operating products is growing substantially and will continue to do so for a number of years. But getting these products remains difficult ¨C businesses still have to shop from many vendors to get all the products they need to keep their facilities running. Grainger will serve businesses and institutions in China by proving them a convenient one-stop shop for a broad range of maintenance and repair products.
At the Forefront of Customer Demand
Grainger has been a leader in the MRO industry in North America for almost 80 years. A Fortune 500 company, Grainger provides its 1,500,000 customers access to over 500,000 products through its branch, phone and e-channels.
Said Bonnie J. McIntyre, Vice President and General Manager of Grainger China LLC, ¡°We have remained at the forefront of our industry by continually improving our supply chain, our product line, our local presence and our information systems infrastructure. We are delighted to bring our expertise to the marketplace in China. We look forward to growing our presence to serve more customers in this country.¡±
For more information on ordering products from Grainger or sales consultation, call 800-820-5151 or 400-880-5151. To arrange a media interview call Cecilia Lu of Weber ShandWick at 86 21 63223401.
About Grainger:
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), with 2005 sales of $5.5 billion, is the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving businesses and institutions throughout North America. Through a highly integrated network including nearly 600 branches, 18 distribution centers and multiple Web sites, Grainger's employees help customers get the job done, saving them time and money by having the right products to keep their facilities running. Grainger is the national founding sponsor of the American Red Cross Ready When the Time Comes corporate volunteer training program.
Media Contact:
Cecilia LU
Weber ShandWick
Tel:+86 21 63223401
Mail: 13761392617
or
Freda Zhu
Grainger China LLC.
Tel: +86 21 24081011
Mail: Freda.zhu@grainger.com