Grainger Announces Acquisition Of Safety Solutions Incorporated

CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW), the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products serving businesses and institutions, today acquired Safety Solutions Inc., a Dublin, Ohio-based distributor of safety footwear, supplies and services with a strong focus on the manufacturing sector.  In 2012, Safety Solutions Inc. had sales of $63 million.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.  Including integration costs, Grainger expects the acquisition to be slightly dilutive to earnings in 2014 and slightly accretive in 2015. 

"Safety Solutions has a long history of providing great customer service and an impressive offering of safety products and services, making this an ideal fit with Grainger," said Court Carruthers, Senior Vice President and Group President, Americas.  "This acquisition extends Grainger's strong position in safety with a leading on-site safety footwear service and a unique benefit management program that tracks purchasing and compliance for customers."

About Grainger                     

W.W. Grainger, Inc. 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/investor.

About Safety Solutions Inc.

Safety Solutions Inc. is based in Dublin, Ohio, and serves large businesses and manufacturers from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast through a multichannel model including a sales team, branches, Shoemobile trucks and service centers. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements under the federal securities law.  Forward-looking statements relate to the company's expected future financial results and business plans, strategies and objectives and are not historical facts.  They are generally identified by qualifiers such as "forecasting" or "expects" or similar expressions. There are risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could cause the company's results to differ materially from what is projected.  The forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with the company's most recent annual report, as well as the company's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, containing a discussion of the company's business and various factors that may affect it.

SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.