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Posted On: 06/19/2007

Chinese association awards Grainger exective for advancing U.S. economic relations in China

PlantServices.com

Richard L. Keyser, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of W. W. Grainger, Inc., the leading North American provider of facility maintenance products, has received the Marco Polo Award.  The award is presented in recognition of the company's contribution to supporting foreign expert volunteers in China.

The General Director of China's State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) presented the Marco Polo Award to Keyser on behalf of SAFEA, the China Association for International Exchange of Personnel and the US-China Foundation for International Exchanges.

In the spirit of the famous Italian traveler who visited China in the thirteenth century, the award is presented to American business leaders and other honored recipients for their work in advancing economic and cultural ties between China and the United States.  Past award winners include leaders of Ford Automotive, Motorola, Kodak, Johnson & Johnson, Estee Lauder and Heinz and former U.S. President George H. Bush.

"I am very happy to accept the Marco Polo Award on behalf of Grainger," said Richard Keyser.  "Grainger has a long tradition of supporting the communities where we do business, and now that we are in China I am very pleased we can help these esteemed institutions and support the work of dedicated volunteers in economic development and scientific work." 
 
Grainger established its presence in China in 1995 to begin sourcing products in Asia.  The Grainger Global Sourcing operation in Hong Kong and Shanghai sources a variety of facilities maintenance products.  Grainger opened its first product distribution center in China in September 2006.  The Master Branch, located in the Shanghai suburb of Minhang, stocks over 30,000 products businesses and institutions need to keep their facilities running.  Grainger's Chinese language catalogue featuring all the products carried in the Master Branch, web site, at http://www.grainger.com.cn, and 24-hour call center make it easy for customers in China to find and order everything they need from one source, saving them time and money. 

As more global manufacturing companies move to China and local businesses continue to develop, the market for maintenance, repair and operating products is growing substantially.  Grainger's China operations are expanding along with this robust market, with a new customer service center recently opened in Jiading, a second scheduled for later this month in Jinqiao and several additional customer service center openings planned in the Yangzi River Delta by the end of the year. In July, Grainger will publish the second edition of its Chinese language catalog which will offer 10,000 new products in stock at the Minhang location. To support its growing presence in China, Grainger has grown its workforce to more than 200 at its Shanghai Master Branch.