6/21/2010
Grainger Creates South American JV With Torhefe/THF

Grainger announced a joint venture with a South American fastener company – an affiliate of Torhefe S.A., THF International SAS.

Grainger owns an 80% position in the joint venture, with THF International SAS maintaining 20%. The joint venture has acquired substantially all of the assets of Torhefe and will be known as Grainger Colombia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Grainger Colombia brings together Torhefe’s rich history of customer service in Colombia, and Grainger’s unmatched North American supply chain and commitment to service,” Grainger International president Court Carruthers said. “Grainger continues to make strategic investments in Latin America that enable businesses to have access to a broad line of products and solutions that help keep their operations running efficiently and keep their employees safe on the job.”

Torhefe, with 2009 sales of U.S.$23 million, distributes MRO supplies in Colombia, with an emphasis on fasteners.
Torhefe has five locations in Colombia, including Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena and Medellin. The joint venture plans to operate under the Torhefe brand name in its existing locations, transitioning to the Grainger name over the next year.

“We expect a seamless transition for our employees and customers and know they will appreciate and benefit from the expanded product offering and availability that comes from joining forces with North America’s leading broad-line industrial distributor,” Torhefe president Carlos Acevedo said.

Grainger Colombia adds to Grainger’s international expansion and recent investments in Latin America. Grainger has physical operations in Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and has also served businesses throughout the region for more than 20 years through its export business, which includes representatives in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Peru and Venezuela.
W.W. Grainger Inc. with 2009 sales of $6.2 billion is a North American-based MRO supplier. Web: Grainger.com

Torhefe, with 2009 sales of U.S.$23 million, distributes MRO supplies in Colombia, with an emphasis on fasteners. Torhefe has been in Colombia since 1984.

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