Graybar opens Innovation Lab at University of Illinois

Electrical distribution giant Graybar, St. Louis, has teamed up with the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, to establish a new lab facility where the university’s students and faculty can develop new digital capabilities related to wholesale distribution. The Graybar Innovation Lab at Research Park will work both as a research facility to pursue fresh ideas and a way for the company to build relationships with new talent.

“Graybar has a long history of innovation, dating back to the original founding of our company,” said Kathleen Mazzarella, Graybar chairman, president and CEO, in a release. “We’re proud to continue that tradition here at Research Park. The Graybar Innovation Lab will accelerate our digital transformation by combining leading-edge technology with fresh ideas from the University of Illinois’ students and faculty. I’m excited to see how this collaboration will drive supply chain innovation and raise the bar for our entire industry.”

The innovation lab will provide full- and part-time positions for undergraduate and graduate students. “We’re always looking for bright, energetic individuals to join our company,” said Mazzarella. “This will give students a way to explore potential career paths within wholesale distribution.”