Acklands-Grainger Announces Largest Product Expansion In Company History

Company now offers more than 300,000 products to keep Canadian businesses and workers safe and on the job

TORONTO, April 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Acklands-Grainger, Canada's largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products, today announced its largest ever product expansion, adding 200,000 new products to its online offering over the next several months. With this expansion, the company will offer more than 300,000 products to help keep businesses across Canada safe and productive.

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"Our customers count on us to be a single source for all of their industrial, safety and fastener products. We enhanced our selection in several key categories to help ensure that when customers have a need, we are ready to offer solutions," said Acklands-Grainger President Eric Nowlin. "By providing easy access to a broad array of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products, Acklands-Grainger helps each customer be more productive in operating its business."

The number of products now available online has doubled in size, which can help customers lower the total cost associated with maintaining, repairing or operating their facilities by consolidating vendors. The expansion crosses all existing product categories with an emphasis on safety, electrical, tools, material handling, plumbing and HVAC, and much of this product expansion comes from the company's private brands, such as Westward, Profast'ners, Condor and Tough Guy. The company continues to leverage products available through its U.S. network to provide customers with even more options.

"For more than 120 years we have been strengthening our supply chain network so that when customers have an MRO need, we are ready to address it quickly and accurately with the right product and solution," said Nowlin.

This product expansion complements the Acklands-Grainger 2013 catalogue, which launched in February and offers the industry's broadest selection of 116,000 products in 11 categories, including 16,000 new items and 40 new suppliers.

"We are focused on serving customers in the most convenient way through a multi-channel approach, whether it be through our network of branches (stores), industry leading catalogue, or website," said Nowlin. "We will continue to add products to our assortment and encourage customers to visit acklandsgrainger.com to review the most up-to-date offer."

Media interested in obtaining an image of the catalogue or learning more about Acklands-Grainger's product expansion should contact Kelly France, Communications Manager at 847-204-1354 or [email protected].

About Acklands–Grainger

Founded in 1889, Acklands-Grainger is Canada's largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products with more than 300,000 products available from 175 branches and six distribution centres coast to coast. For more information about Acklands-Grainger, please visit www.acklandsgrainger.com.

Its parent company, W.W. Grainger, Inc., (NYSE: GWW), with 2012 sales of $9 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with expanding global operations. For more information about the company, visit www.grainger.com.

SOURCE: Acklands-Grainger

Kelly France, 847-204-1354, [email protected]

https://www.acklandsgrainger.com

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