A major North American supplier of facility maintenance and repair supplies, Grainger has added fleet products to the 900,000 items available through its branch office, catalog and online distribution network.
With over 1.8-million active customers in manufacturing, government, mining, transportation and other areas, the company began serving fleet requirements two years ago, “because our customers asked us to,” said Keith Larkin, product manager for fleet vehicle maintenance. “We want to be the total solution for our customers with the right product at the right time right where it’s needed.”
While it does not offer replacement components or tires, the company’s new fleet operation now has 85 vehicle-related categories of maintenance parts and supplies, including filters, chemicals, specialty tools, lift equipment, shop supplies, tire repair items and fasteners. Brand names carried by Grainger over 430 U.S. branch distribution operations include Imperial, Truck Lite, Valvoline, Eaton, Baldwin, OTC, Grote, Velvac and 3M.
For large customers, benefits not only include quick access to some 18,000 fleet maintenance products, but also a range of support services that include supplier consolidation, inventory control and even onsite Grainger personnel for its biggest customers, Larkin said.
The company also serves many small companies, some with as few as 10 vans in their fleet, offering them the price and availability leverage that comes from its purchasing power and national distribution network, as well as allowing them to use one supplier for both facility and vehicle maintenance supplies, he adds.
In addition to its branch operations, Grainger offers a dedicated online fleet and vehicle maintenance catalog with multiple e-commerce options that include integration with a wide variety of third-party software systems.
