Grainger addresses productivity, purchasing channels and other topics at Florida conference

Grainger, a broad line distributor of facilities maintenance products, recently welcomed nearly 10,000 attendees at the annual Grainger Show in Orlando, Fla. The event brought together customers, product and service suppliers and Grainger employees from across the U.S. to discuss emerging trends in areas such as mobility, inventory management, sustainability and safety. The company also hosted technical education students and graduates from the Grainger Tools for Tomorrow Scholarship Program to raise awareness of the importance and opportunities associated with jobs in the industrial trades.

This is the eighth year for the event. It included a trade show with more than 475 supplier booths, as well as two days of educational seminars, discussions groups and training sessions. “The Grainger Show is an opportunity for facilities professionals to come together to discuss the issues that are most important to them and learn how to implement best practices within their operations,” said Deb Oler, vice president and general manager, Grainger Brand. “It is an honor to host this dialogue and provide the resources and expertise to help our customers take cost out of their business and become as productive as possible.”

The company featured its public safety trailer onsite for attendees to discover how Grainger can support the needs of first responders. Piloted in 2011, the Wi-Fi enabled, climate-controlled trailer provides support for disaster drills. Drill participants can check out products from the trailer and return them using the company’s KeepStock inventory management solutions, while drill leaders use the meeting space as a command center for operations.

The company also showcased its new mobile website that is accessible from any smart phone. Recognizing the shift in the way governments and other organizations buy maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies, Grainger developed its mobile web site to give people more streamlined access to Grainger.com no matter their location — job site, truck, plant floor, garage or maintenance shop.

Read more about the Grainger Orlando conference in the March Government Product News.