W.W. Grainger, the North American provider of facility maintenance products, has opened its first facility in China. The Master Branch, in the Shanghai suburb of  Minhang, will initially stock approximately 20,000 products businesses and institutions need to keep their facilities running.

Grainger has also recently published a Chinese language catalogue featuring all the products carried in the Master Branch and has launched a Chinese Web site, at http://www.grainger.com.cn/, making it easy for customers in China to find and order everything they need from one source.

With 12,000 square meters of space housing approximately 20,000 products, the Master Branch provides customers with products in several categories including Electrical, Lighting, Tools, Test & Instruments, Pneumatics, Plumbing, Material Handling, Safety, Security, Metal Working and HVAC.

The Grainger Chinese language catalogue, a unique feature for the distribution industry in China, contains detailed information about all the products available through the Master Branch. All the listed products are available immediately. Grainger also has a customer service center located in central Shanghai that offers sales consultation.

W.W. Grainger, Inc. had 2005 sales of $5.5 billion. The distributor has nearly 600 branches, 18 distribution centers and multiple Web sites.

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