Grainger, Chicago, IL, has named Court Carruthers to a newly created position as president of its international businesses in Canada, Mexico, and China. Carruthers' new responsibilities include growing and improving Grainger's international business operations, which had sales of more than $800 million in 2008. Carruthers is currently president of Grainger's Canadian subsidiary, Acklands-Grainger. More

Grainger reported sales of $6.9 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, up 7 percent from 2007. Profit of $475 million was up 13 percent. Grainger reported that it is somewhat below the low end" of the range it provided in November for 2009 of -5 percent and +5 percent. In ...