Chicago -- Grainger recognized its 25 top performing suppliers with its Partners in Performance Award this week during the company’s annual supplier conference held in Schaumburg, Ill. Less than 1 percent of Grainger's 3,000 suppliers receive this award each year.

Superior Manufacturing Group, maker of NoTrax anti-fatigue floor matting, was named Grainger’s Supplier of the Year for its outstanding performance and customer service. Grainger also presented its first Sustainability Supplier of the Year award to Veolia ES Technical Solutions. Veolia works closely with Grainger to provide a pre-paid recycling solution to customers looking to recycle lighting and electronic waste.

“Our customers rely on Grainger to have what they need, when they need it. Our suppliers help us do just that,” said Fred Costello, Grainger’s Vice President, Product Management.  “The Partners in Performance event is an opportunity to recognize suppliers who have demonstrated outstanding performance in helping us serve our mutual customers.”

Grainger's Partners in Performance Award recognizes suppliers who achieve excellence in several categories, including on-time shipping, responsiveness, cost effectiveness, and product quality. Suppliers are rated throughout the year, and judged on their overall performance and improvement.

Partners in Performance award winners for 2009:

Air Conditioning Products
Akro-Mils
CRC Industries
Cotterman
E.M. Wiegmann & Co.
 Georgia-Pacific
General Electric Lighting
Greenheck
Johnson Level and Tool
Klein Tools, Inc. 
M.K. Morse Company
Master Lock
Mechanical Plastics
Phillips Lighting Electronics
Pitt Plastics
Rubbermaid Commercial Products
Rust-Oleum Corporation
Shop Vac Corporation
Wireway/Husky Corporation
Wooster Brush 

Supplier of the Year

Superior Manufacturing Group

Best New Supplier

Guardian Equipment

Special Achievement/Contribution Award

GoJo Industries 

Sustainability Supplier of the Year

Veolia ES Technical Solutions

Carrier of the Year

USA Truck, Inc.


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