Why This Matters to Distributors: Grainger has added 550,000 square feet of distribution capacity in the Pacific Northwest as part of its multiyear expansion of its North American supply chain. The Oregon facility adds about 150 jobs and gives Grainger more capacity to stock products closer to customers in the region.
W.W. Grainger Inc. has opened a 550,000-square-foot distribution center near Portland, Oregon, expanding its Pacific Northwest operations as the industrial distributor adds capacity to its North American network.
Grainger held a grand opening Aug. 19 for the Northwest Distribution Center in Gresham, about 16 miles east of Portland. The facility creates about 150 jobs and will serve businesses, government agencies, and institutions across the region.
The Lake Forest, Illinois-based distributor first announced plans for the facility in 2023. Grainger said at the time that the distribution center would carry more than 135,000 maintenance, repair and operating products, including tools, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, fluid power products, lighting, power transmission equipment, and motors.
“The Northwest Distribution Center is an important addition to Grainger’s supply chain network, enabling us to provide customers across the Pacific Northwest with faster, more efficient access to the products and services they need to keep operations running,” said Kristi Braverman, group vice president of distribution operations.
Grainger has operated in Oregon since 1945 and employs about 240 people in the state.
The Gresham facility is part of a broader expansion of Grainger’s distribution network as the company adds warehouse capacity and positions more inventory closer to customers.
Grainger has previously said projects underway or planned would add about 3.5 million square feet to its distribution network, increasing its warehouse space by more than 35%.
Those investments include a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center under development in Hockley, Texas, northwest of Houston. Grainger has said the facility is expected to employ about 400 people and eventually stock as many as 300,000 products.
The company has also been adding bulk warehouse capacity and automation to support a larger product assortment and reduce the distance inventory must travel to reach customers.
When Grainger announced the Oregon project, it said the facility would support its goal of providing next-day delivery to 99% of the U.S. market.
The additional capacity comes as Grainger’s sales continue to increase.
Grainger reported second-quarter 2026 sales of $5.02 billion, up 10.3% from a year earlier. Net income increased 18.3% to $570 million.
The company generated $17.9 billion in sales in 2025 and serves more than 4.6 million customers worldwide, with operations primarily in North America and Japan.
Grainger has made distribution capacity a central part of its North American strategy, investing in warehouses, automation, and inventory to support product availability and delivery times.
The Gresham center gives the company additional inventory and fulfillment capacity specifically for the Pacific Northwest rather than relying as heavily on distribution centers farther from customers in the region.
For other distributors, the opening illustrates the amount of physical infrastructure Grainger continues to put behind its service model. The company is adding warehouse space, inventory, and automation as it works to increase product availability and maintain next-day delivery across most of the U.S.
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