Lab Safety Supply Buys Two More Marketers

Business-to-business mailer Lab Safety Supply has agreed to acquire Professional Inspection Equipment and Construction Book Express. The two companies—both based in Hauppage, NY– are direct marketers of tools, instruments, and reference materials for building and home inspection. Terms of the acquisition, which was expected to close by Thanksgiving, were not disclosed.

Lab Safety Supply, a subsidiary of $5.5 billion Chicago-based industrial distributor W.W. Grainger, will market Professional Inspection Equipment and Construction Book Express as independent brands. The two businesses, which serve more than 85,000 active customers–including inspectors, designers, architects, engineers, and electricians–had annual sales this year of more than $20 million.

“Our strategy is to accelerate LSS’s growth by finding premier direct marketing companies that complement the company’s targeted catalog approach,” said Grainger chairman/CEO Richard L. Keyser in a statement. “This acquisition will enable LSS to further diversify its customer base into the services sector.” Lab Safety Supply, which earlier this year acquired Pawtucket, RI-based Rand Materials Handling Equipment for about $16 million, also includes Ben Meadows, Gempler’s, and AW Direct.