# W.W. GRAINGER, INC.

Summary updated: 2026-03-19T06:44:46.808681Z
Canonical: https://finbar.com/research/companies/w-w-grainger

## Overview

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is an Illinois-incorporated company founded in 1928 and a broad-line distributor of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. It serves a wide range of customers, from smaller businesses to large corporations, government entities and other institutions, and states its purpose as “We Keep the World Working®,” helping customers stay focused on their core operations. [1](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-c8c976d13ef74d77a9ab1a97cf377032)[2](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-4d2a29f268e44a1a98966e2477c6ba0a)[3](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-25905bbdb0654768bb7057a52ddc2b88)

Grainger’s offering spans major MRO categories including safety and security, material handling and storage, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools. The company’s business is organized around two reportable segments: High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. High-Touch Solutions N.A. offers approximately 2 million products along with services such as technical support and inventory management, while Endless Assortment provides millions of products through digital platforms including Zoro and MonotaRO. [4](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-26363c5a35ce4754bd1e0df45156fa7a)[5](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8df01693910b41f4a061071d08d1c8a2)[6](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)[7](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-0c744e2293fc421badc1e9b5ae190e37)

As of December 31, 2024, Grainger served more than 4.5 million customers worldwide and had more than 26,000 team members globally. In 2024, the company reported net sales of $17.168 billion. Its U.S.-based operations generated about 82% of consolidated net sales, with additional operations principally in Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Japan, underscoring a business that is global in reach but anchored in North America. [2](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-4d2a29f268e44a1a98966e2477c6ba0a)[8](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-acd73fdefa5d426ea061369906ecaabf)[9](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f2982dddbec94c8c88ab258b2c237970)[10](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-955b17ac727442c4b0ef7265437035e8)
[1](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-c8c976d13ef74d77a9ab1a97cf377032)[2](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-4d2a29f268e44a1a98966e2477c6ba0a)[3](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-25905bbdb0654768bb7057a52ddc2b88)[4](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-26363c5a35ce4754bd1e0df45156fa7a)[5](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8df01693910b41f4a061071d08d1c8a2)[6](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)[7](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-0c744e2293fc421badc1e9b5ae190e37)[8](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-acd73fdefa5d426ea061369906ecaabf)[9](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f2982dddbec94c8c88ab258b2c237970)[10](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-955b17ac727442c4b0ef7265437035e8)

## Products & services

W.W. Grainger’s product offering is centered on maintenance, repair and operating supplies and is grouped into broad categories that include safety and security, material handling and storage, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance supplies, metalworking products, and hand tools. The company says its assortment is continually adjusted based on customer demand, market research, and supplier input, and that no single product category represented more than 20% of 2024 sales. In its High-Touch Solutions North America business, Grainger offers approximately 2 million products along with related services. In its Endless Assortment business, the company sells millions of products through digital platforms, including more than 14 million products on Zoro and more than 24 million on MonotaRO. [4](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-26363c5a35ce4754bd1e0df45156fa7a)[6](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)[7](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-0c744e2293fc421badc1e9b5ae190e37)

Service offerings tied to the product portfolio include technical support, inventory management, eProcurement connectivity, and fulfillment services. Grainger.com provides real-time pricing and product availability, detailed product information, and product search and comparison tools. The company’s KeepStock inventory management offering includes vendor-managed inventory, customer-managed inventory, and onsite vending machines, while some customers connect procurement systems directly to Grainger.com through eProcurement tools. Grainger also highlights fulfillment capabilities such as direct shipment from distribution centers, next-day delivery, and branch replenishment for same-day availability. By segment, the product-and-service mix was weighted toward High-Touch Solutions North America, which generated 80% of 2024 revenue, versus 18% from Endless Assortment and 2% from Other businesses. [6](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)[11](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f684f68e18fc45a6aca930c5d553a6d1)[12](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cec344b81f1b4814b6b378af32fe25a3)[13](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cb64fab6ba774e4c8bcc9d4f4529110d)[14](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-fc5a4f90fb474655aa08d24ababefc6f)
[4](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-26363c5a35ce4754bd1e0df45156fa7a)[6](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)[7](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-0c744e2293fc421badc1e9b5ae190e37)[11](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f684f68e18fc45a6aca930c5d553a6d1)[12](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cec344b81f1b4814b6b378af32fe25a3)[13](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cb64fab6ba774e4c8bcc9d4f4529110d)[14](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-fc5a4f90fb474655aa08d24ababefc6f)

## Geographic presence

W.W. Grainger, Inc.’s operating footprint is centered in North America, with owned and leased facilities totaling about 30.3 million square feet and located primarily in the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. The company’s headquarters is in Lake Forest, Illinois, and its High-Touch Solutions N.A. business primarily covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. [15](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-d954febf72834bfd8a5acb005a197631)[16](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-c8b4900e082945248fba9213f815742f)[17](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-72a3906a3e314d8a8ef59a93ed4ea752)

Revenue is reported by the destination country where the customer is located. In 2024, the United States accounted for $13.947 billion of revenue, or 81.2% of the total; Japan accounted for $1.893 billion, or 11.0%; Canada accounted for $661 million, or 3.9%; and other foreign countries accounted for $667 million, or 3.9%. [18](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cd7b065f828546219aa49a3b5eed3ac1)[19](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-b79ab6ed8a06485da5b740f56f9ec6ab)

Grainger’s physical network is heaviest in the U.S., where it operates 21 distribution centers, 245 branches, 65 onsite locations and 4 will-call express locations. Outside the U.S., disclosed facilities include 4 distribution centers and office space in Japan; 32 branch locations and 5 distribution centers in Canada; 15 branch locations and 2 distribution centers in Mexico; and 33 branch or other facility locations plus 1 distribution center in the U.K. The company does not separately disclose Europe as a revenue region; the U.K. appears in the facilities disclosure rather than as a standalone revenue line. [20](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-3af4f47a322c4a23b7dc426ca73a1d11)[19](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-b79ab6ed8a06485da5b740f56f9ec6ab)
[15](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-d954febf72834bfd8a5acb005a197631)[16](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-c8b4900e082945248fba9213f815742f)[17](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-72a3906a3e314d8a8ef59a93ed4ea752)[18](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-cd7b065f828546219aa49a3b5eed3ac1)[19](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-b79ab6ed8a06485da5b740f56f9ec6ab)[20](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-3af4f47a322c4a23b7dc426ca73a1d11)

## Business segments

W.W. Grainger, Inc. reports two reportable segments that align with its go-to-market strategies and business models: High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. Management states that these segments generate sales primarily through the distribution of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products, while the remaining businesses are grouped in Other because they do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment. [5](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8df01693910b41f4a061071d08d1c8a2)

High-Touch Solutions N.A. is focused on mid-size and large customers with complex purchasing operations and processes. This segment emphasizes product and service depth, total cost of procurement, eProcurement integration, sales and service representatives, on-site KeepStock inventory management, and North American customer service centers. Endless Assortment is aimed primarily at smaller and mid-size customers with less complex purchasing needs, emphasizing transparent pricing, easy-to-navigate procurement, and business-focused eCommerce platforms, including Zoro and MonotaRO. [11](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f684f68e18fc45a6aca930c5d553a6d1)[21](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-d07a999b4c444b07b582dce50f56dd72)

Based on the latest disclosed annual segment net sales, High-Touch Solutions N.A. generated $13.72 billion, Endless Assortment generated $3.13 billion, and Other generated $314 million, implying an approximate revenue mix of about 80%, 18%, and 2%, respectively. Grainger also notes separately that Other includes the Cromwell business and represented approximately 2% of revenue in 2024. [22](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-950030761e6947689835d6b579de23c6)[14](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-fc5a4f90fb474655aa08d24ababefc6f)
[5](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8df01693910b41f4a061071d08d1c8a2)[11](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f684f68e18fc45a6aca930c5d553a6d1)[21](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-d07a999b4c444b07b582dce50f56dd72)[22](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-950030761e6947689835d6b579de23c6)[14](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=T-fc5a4f90fb474655aa08d24ababefc6f)

## Company history

W.W. Grainger began in 1927, when William W. "Bill" Grainger founded a wholesale electric motor sales and distribution business in Chicago, and it was incorporated as W.W. Grainger, Inc. in 1928.[23](https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/william-grainger) In its early years, the company grew through mail-order selling, including a catalog called MotorBook, before opening its first branch in Philadelphia in 1933 and adding three more branches in 1934.[23](https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/william-grainger) By 1937, Grainger had sales offices around the country and annual sales had reached $1 million.[24](http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2686.html)

In later decades, Grainger broadened its reach through international ventures, acquisitions and e-commerce. MonotaRO was established in 2000 by Sumitomo Co., Ltd. and W.W. Grainger, giving Grainger an early foothold in online industrial distribution in Japan.[25](https://corp.monotaro.com/en/history.html) Grainger then acquired Imperial Supplies in 2009,[26](https://invest.grainger.com/investor-news/news-details/2009/Grainger-Announces-Acquisition-of-Imperial-Supplies-LLC/default.aspx) launched Zoro.com in 2011,[27](https://pressroom.grainger.com/news/press-release-details/2021/Zoro.com-Celebrates-10-Years-of-eCommerce-Success/default.aspx) completed its acquisition of Fabory Group later that year,[28](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-fabory-group-128845693.html) and expanded further in Europe with the 2015 acquisition of U.K.-based Cromwell.[29](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-cromwell-300135934.html)
[23](https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/william-grainger)[24](http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2686.html)[25](https://corp.monotaro.com/en/history.html)[26](https://invest.grainger.com/investor-news/news-details/2009/Grainger-Announces-Acquisition-of-Imperial-Supplies-LLC/default.aspx)[27](https://pressroom.grainger.com/news/press-release-details/2021/Zoro.com-Celebrates-10-Years-of-eCommerce-Success/default.aspx)[28](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-fabory-group-128845693.html)[29](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-cromwell-300135934.html)

## Sources

1. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-c8c976d13ef74d77a9ab1a97cf377032)
2. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-4d2a29f268e44a1a98966e2477c6ba0a)
3. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-25905bbdb0654768bb7057a52ddc2b88)
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6. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-8e706d50180c4cafbefeb37b1f136682)
7. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-0c744e2293fc421badc1e9b5ae190e37)
8. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-acd73fdefa5d426ea061369906ecaabf)
9. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f2982dddbec94c8c88ab258b2c237970)
10. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-955b17ac727442c4b0ef7265437035e8)
11. [W.W. GRAINGER, INC. — Full financial report (2024 Y)](https://app.finbar.com/go?id=P-f684f68e18fc45a6aca930c5d553a6d1)
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23. [grainger.illinois.edu](https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/william-grainger)
24. [www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org](http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2686.html)
25. [corp.monotaro.com](https://corp.monotaro.com/en/history.html)
26. [invest.grainger.com](https://invest.grainger.com/investor-news/news-details/2009/Grainger-Announces-Acquisition-of-Imperial-Supplies-LLC/default.aspx)
27. [pressroom.grainger.com](https://pressroom.grainger.com/news/press-release-details/2021/Zoro.com-Celebrates-10-Years-of-eCommerce-Success/default.aspx)
28. [www.prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-fabory-group-128845693.html)
29. [www.prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grainger-completes-acquisition-of-cromwell-300135934.html)

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