Lake County's Grainger reports spike in sales

W.W. Grainger Inc., the Lake Forest-based distributor of building-maintenance supplies, reported that its daily sales increased 12 percent in February compared to a year ago.

Results for the month included a 5 percentage point positive contribution from acquisitions, a 1 percentage point benefit from the sales of seasonal products and 2 percentage point contribution from foreign exchange, the company said.

Excluding acquisitions, seasonal sales and foreign exchange, daily sales for the company increased 4 percent.

W.W. Grainger Inc., with 2009 sales of $6.2 billion, is a leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products serving businesses and institutions in the United States, Canada and Mexico with an expanding presence in Japan, India, China and Panama.