Grainger
William W. Grainger founded a wholesale electric motor sales and distribution business in Chicago in 1927. He established the company to provide an efficient solution for customers to access a consistent supply of electric motors. The business was incorporated as W. W. Grainger in 1928. Sales in the early days were generated primarily through mail order via post cards and a catalog. The MotorBook, as the catalog was originally called, was the basis for today s Grainger catalog. The Grainger branch network has grown steadily over the years, and today there are more than 400 branches in the United States and 570 in North America. The 3700-page Grainger catalog is published annually and is available on CD-ROM and online at Grainger.com.
Industrial Metal Supply is the area's largest metal supplier stocking aluminum, steel, stainless steel, copper, and brass. The company offers a store that is open to the public six days a week. Service-based, IMS offers same day will call pickup and next day delivery. Metal cutting services include cutting, sawing, and shearing of metals plus hi-def plasma, waterjet, and C02 and Fiber Tuber laser services.
