GWW vs RSG Comparison

Founded in 1927, W.W. Grainger originally distributed various motors via a mail-order catalogue. Over the course of the 20th century, the firm expanded into new industrial product categories and launched its first digital catalogue in 1995. Today, the company organizes itself into two segments focused on different customer bases. Its larger segment, high-touch solutions, offers a vast array of maintenance, repair, and operations, or MRO, supplies and bespoke inventory management services to larger businesses. Its smaller segment, endless assortment, operates two online platforms, Zoro and MonotaRO, that offer comprehensive catalogues of MRO supplies to smaller businesses. Grainger has operations throughout the world but primarily generates sales within the US.

Republic Services Group is the second-largest waste management company by revenue and provides integrated waste management services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. With 208 active landfills, 248 transfer stations, and 75 recycling centers, Republic Services has reached $16 billion in annual revenue, focusing on recycling and environmental solutions. The company reports in three segments based on the Western United States (Group 1), Eastern United States (Group 2), and Environmental Solutions across North America (Group 3). Eighty-nine percent of total revenue comes from recycling and waste, with the remaining 11% from Environmental Solutions.