Grainger Inc. also recently awarded Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. the 2008 Partners in Performance Award in the Large Supplier category. Pictured (left to right) are Jane Kiefhaber, product category director, Grainger; Walker Young, director of national accounts, Milwaukee Electric Tool; and Fred Costello, vice president of product management, Grainger.

CHICAGO — W.W. Grainger Inc. continues to expand and is now opening its first branch in Panama. The new branch offers businesses and institutions in Panama a large inventory of products needed to keep its facilities running.

“Grainger selected Panama as its second expansion market in Latin America, after Mexico, because it offers exciting business opportunities and a business-friendly environment,” said Bonnie McIntyre, vice president, International market development, Grainger. “We are honored to be part of Panama’s growing economy where businesses and institutions will be able to rely on Grainger to provide them with the broadest range of quality facility maintenance products when and where needed.”

Grainger’s 23,000-square-foot showroom and store facility houses more than 20,000 products — one of the largest inventories available in the country, said the company.

In order to ensure that facilities outside of Panama City also benefit from this one-stop-shop solution, Grainger has a network of trained sales representatives throughout the country to help institutions that maintain locations in other areas of Panama. Grainger plans to continue to build its presence in Panama by adding more products and services to address local customer needs.

Grainger is also making additions to its North American market. After increasing staff, boosting inventory, and adding and relocating several of its locations, the company’s expansion across the San Francisco Bay Area was completed with the opening of a new branch in Fremont, Calif.

“Grainger’s local expansion was in direct response to customer requests for more facilities maintenance products closer to them,” said Rick Haley, district branch services manager for Grainger. “Today more than ever, our business customers need to be as efficient as possible, and we’ve responded by offering quick, easy, same-day access to more of the products they need.”

The new branch includes a 2,500-square-foot showroom that offers products specific to the needs of its local manufacturing, commercial, and contractor customers.

For more information, visit www.grainger.com.

Publication date: 05/11/2009