Chicago-based Grainger (NYSE: GWW), No. 3 on MDM’s list of the top 40 industrial distributors, announced this week it will be closing 25 branches in the U.S. before year-end at its Annual Analyst Meeting.

The distributor also forecast its sales for the fourth quarter 2011 and for 2012. For the 2011 fourth quarter, Grainger expects sales to grow 12 percent to 13 percent. For the full year 2011, the distributor expects growth of 11 percent to 12 percent.

Grainger forecasts growth will continue at that pace, with sales increasing 10 percent to 14 percent in the full year 2012.  Organic sales growth for 2012 is forecasted at 6 percent to 10 percent.

Check back at mdm.com for more coverage of Grainger’s Annual Analyst Meeting.

Read an interview with Grainger U.S. President Mike Pulick: Grainger’s Take on the Market

And read why Grainger isn’t worried about the economy.

Listen to Editor Lindsay Konzak’s recent interview with Pulick below: