Grainger – Grainger acquires technology assets from Adroit Worldwide Media
CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW) announced today the acquisition of technology, intellectual property and talent assets from Adroit Worldwide Media (AWM), a leading technology solutions company, for $210 million in cash.
The acquisition is expected to enhance the Company’s inventory management capabilities within its High-Touch Solutions – North America segment by adding differentiated frictionless technology for industrial B2B distribution. This new technology is expected to help customers lower their total cost of managing MRO inventory, improve product availability, and free up skilled labor for higher-value work.
The Company will begin integration immediately and will work to launch a commercial pilot of this new capability over the next several months. The acquisition is not expected to contribute materially to near-term results.
Safe Harbor Statement
All statements in this communication, other than those relating to historical facts, are “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by their use of terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “expect,” “could,” “forecast,” “may,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will,” or “would,” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Grainger cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be realized and achievement of future results is subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Grainger’s control, which could cause Grainger’s results to differ materially from those that are presented. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future strategic plans and future financial and operating results. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented or implied in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation: inflation, higher product costs or other expenses, including operational and administrative expenses; a major loss of customers; loss or disruption of sources of supply; changes in customer or product mix; increased competitive pricing pressures; changes in third-party practices regarding digital advertising; failure to enter into or sustain contractual arrangements on a satisfactory basis with group purchasing organizations; failure to develop, manage or implement new technology initiatives, acquisitions or business strategies including with respect to Grainger’s eCommerce platforms and artificial intelligence; failure to adequately protect our intellectual property or successfully defend against infringement claims; fluctuations or declines in Grainger’s gross profit margin; Grainger’s responses to market pressures; the outcome of pending and future litigation or governmental or regulatory proceedings, including with respect to wage and hour, anti-bribery and corruption, environmental, regulations related to advertising, marketing and the internet, consumer protection, pricing (including disaster or emergency declaration pricing statutes), product liability, compliance or safety, trade and export compliance, general commercial disputes, or privacy and cybersecurity matters; investigations, inquiries, audits and changes in laws and regulations; failure to comply with laws, regulations and standards, including new or stricter environmental laws or regulations; government contract matters, including new or revised provisions relating to contract compliance or performance; the impact of any government shutdown; disruption or breaches of information technology or data security systems involving Grainger or third parties on which Grainger depends; general industry, economic, market or political conditions; general global economic conditions, including existing, new, or increased tariffs, trade issues and changes in trade policies, inflation, and interest rates; currency exchange rate fluctuations; market volatility, including price and trading volume volatility or price declines of Grainger’s common stock; an incident that adversely impacts Grainger’s reputation or brand; commodity price volatility; facilities disruptions or shutdowns; higher fuel costs or disruptions in transportation services; effects of outbreaks of pandemic disease or viral contagions, global conflicts, natural or human-induced disasters, extreme weather, and other catastrophes or conditions; effects of climate change; failure to execute on our corporate responsibility efforts; competition for, or failure to attract, retain, train, motivate and develop executives and key team members; loss of key members of management or key team members; loss of operational flexibility and potential for work stoppages or slowdowns if team members unionize or join a collective bargaining arrangement; changes in effective tax rates; changes in credit ratings or outlook; Grainger’s incurrence of indebtedness or failure to comply with restrictions and obligations under its debt agreements and instruments and other factors that can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent periodic reports filed on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which are available on our Investor Relations website. Forward-looking statements are given only as of the date of this communication and we disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
SourceGrainger
EMR Analysis
More information on Grainger: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on D.G. Macpherson (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Grainger): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on Deidra C. Merriwether (Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Grainger): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on High-Touch Solutions by Grainger: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on Adroit Worldwide Media (AWM) asset take-over by Grainger: https://www.awm.tech/ + Intelligent, self-running sites designed for modern operational environments.
AWM is the technology and manufacturing arm of AWM Fulfillment.
AWM is an AI / computer vision technology company with solutions for the global industrial supply, construction, and retail vertical. These solutions drive additional revenue and address problems that are critical to efficiency and accountability, disrupting the industry by enabling use cases not previously possible.
AWM’s hardware and tech stack reinvents environments such as storerooms / toolrooms / stores by increasing throughput, reducing costs and providing transparency. Streamline procurement with a centralized platform that offers everything your jobsite needs — building materials, tools, consumables — all in one autonomous environment.
On the job site is AWM Frictionless™, the company’s flagship AI offering, which is available as pre-fabricated shipping container environments (Quick Drop Units) with optional office space and off-grid solar, or as a retrofit in an existing building / space. Using cameras and sensors, AWM Frictionless streamlines checkout and check-in, usage tracking, and invoicing/accounting, for substantial labor savings as well as up-to-date inventory tracking and replenishment reordering.
More information on Kevin Howard (Chief Executive Officer, Adroit Worldwide Media (AWM)): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-howard-8ba18b2/
EMR Additional Notes:
- OEM vs. MRO vs. Integrated Supply:
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer):
- An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is a company that designs and/or manufactures products or components that are used in another company’s end product, which may be marketed under that company’s brand name. An OEM can produce complete systems or individual components.
- The term OEM usually refers to original, specification-compliant parts used in the initial production of equipment, whereas aftermarket refers to third-party products used as replacements or upgrades after the original sale.
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer):
- MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations):
- MRO refers to all the activities and supplies needed to keep a company’s operations, facilities, and equipment running efficiently and safely.
- These are supplies used to support production but that do not become part of the final product.
- Examples of MRO items include:
- Maintenance tools
- Replacement/spare parts
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Cleaning and facility supplies
- Office and operational consumables
- Integrated Supply:
- Integrated Supply is a service-based, end-to-end supply chain solution for managing MRO procurement and inventory in a more efficient and digitally connected way.
- The goal is to:
- reduce total cost of ownership (TCO)
- improve response time and availability
- optimize inventory levels (often vendor-managed inventory, VMI)
- increase operational efficiency
- It typically involves:
- on-site or embedded supplier presence
- digital integration between supplier and customer systems (ERP, inventory)
- real-time data sharing (inventory levels, consumption, orders)
- For example, a supplier’s system may be integrated with a buyer’s system to provide real-time visibility and automated replenishment of MRO items.
- => OEM vs. MRO vs. Integrated Supply:
- OEM: Builds/designs the product (or core components)
- MRO: Keeps operations running (non-production supplies)
- Integrated Supply: Optimizes how MRO is sourced, managed, and delivered

