Grainger announced Friday that it plans to exit its business operations in the U.K. by selling off its Cromwell subsidiary and shutting down its Zoro web business in the country.
Cromwell, acquired just over a decade ago, will be sold to private equity firm Aurelius for an undisclosed price. The transaction is expected to close in “the coming months.”
The MRO giant proposed closing the Zoro U.K. business last month.
Grainger Chairman and CEO D.G. Macpherson said in the announcement that the company has made efforts to focus on “the geographies where we can deliver the greatest long-term impact” — and that it has “altered our assumptions about our future potential in this region.”
"We remain committed to creating value for our customers and driving profitable growth through our High-Touch Solutions model in North America and our Endless Assortment businesses in the United States and Japan,” Macpherson said.
Grainger is expected to record a one-time, non-cash after-tax loss of between $190 million to $205 million related to its U.K. exit, the “vast majority” of which will be factored into its third-quarter financial results.
The company once again topped the ID Big 50 list for 2025.
