W.W. Grainger Inc., headquartered near Chicago in Lake Forest, Ill., might seem like a simple business. If you manage facilities for a company, you might go to Grainger for a mop, or a motor.
The 83-year-old distributor, whose sales reached $6.9 billion in 2008, provides industrial supplies to 1.8 million businesses in 153 countries. The company has a sizeable presence in California, including a distribution center in Miraloma and another one being built near Modesto.... (continued)