W.W. Grainger, Inc. Shareholders Elect Directors -- Other Meeting Highlights

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W.W. Grainger, Inc. Shareholders Elect Directors -- Other Meeting Highlights

    CHICAGO, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- At the annual meeting held today,
shareholders elected 12 nominees to the Board of Directors, 10 of whom served
the previous year and 2 who are new.  The directors who served previously are:

    George R. Baker
      Corporate Director/Advisor

    Jere D. Fluno
      Vice Chairman
      W.W. Grainger, Inc.

    Wilbur H. Gantz
      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
      PathoGenesis Corporation

    David W. Grainger
      Senior Chairman of the Board
      W.W. Grainger, Inc.

    Richard L. Keyser
      Chairman of the Board and
      Chief Executive Officer
      W.W.Grainger, Inc.

    John W. McCarter, Jr.
      President and Chief Executive Officer
      The Field Museum of Natural History

    James D. Slavik
      President
      Mark IV Capital, Inc.

    Harold B. Smith
      Chairman of the Executive Committee
      Illinois Tool Works Inc.

    Fred L. Turner
      Senior Chairman of the Board and
      Chairman of the Executive Committee
      McDonald's Corporation

    Janiece S. Webb
      Senior Vice President and
        General Manager
      Personal Networks Group
      Personal Communications Sector
      Communications Enterprise
      Motorola Inc.

    The new directors are:

    Brian P. Anderson
      Senior Vice President and
        Chief Financial Officer
      Baxter International Inc.

    Neil S. Novich
      Chairman, President, and
        Chief Executive Officer
      Ryerson Tull, Inc.

    OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN BY SHAREHOLDERS.
    Shareholders ratified the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to continue as
the independent auditors for the year ending December 31, 1999.

    CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
    Shareholders were also told that 1999 capital expenditures are projected
at $140 million, with the majority of dollars committed to three project
areas:

    --  Expanding the Company's branch and logistics network, including the
        addition of 21 new branches in the United States and 11 in Canada.
    --  Continuing the enhancement of the Company's information systems
        capabilities.
    --  The final construction phase of the Company's new Lake Forest office
        facility.

    W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW), with 1998 sales of $4.3 billion, is the leading
North American provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies,
services, and related information to businesses and institutions.  GWW shares
are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges.  For more information,
visit Grainger on line at http://www.grainger.com.

SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.

http://www.grainger.com
Company News On-Call:

http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/953850.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 953850
CONTACT:
Robert D. Pappano of W.W. Grainger, Inc.,
847-793-6442