Transactions

the assets of Professional Inspection Equipment, Inc. and Construction Book Express, Inc. have been acquired by Lab Safety Supply, Inc. a subsidiary of W.W. Grainger, Inc. MERTZ ASSOCIATES has assisted and advised LSS in designing an acquisition search program and continues to cultivate relationships with potential sellers.

• PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION EQUIPMENT, INC. and CONSTRUCTION BOOK EXPRESS, INC., Hauppauge, New York, are business-to-business direct marketers of tools, instruments, and reference materials to the $2.5 billion building and home inspection market. Through a similar direct marketing model, the companies serve over 85,000 active customers including inspectors, designers, architects, engineers and electricians with annual sales in 2006 of more than $20 million.
   
• LAB SAFETY SUPPLY, INC. (LSS), Janesville, Wisconsin, is the leading business-to-business direct marketer of industrial and safety products in North America. LSS is the premier direct marketer of targeted, specialty brands. This transaction is similar to Lab Safety Supply’s successful acquisitions of Ben Meadows, Gempler's, AW Direct and Rand, which have provided new growth and diversification to the LSS customer base.
   
• W.W. GRAINGER, INC., Lake Forest, Illinois, is the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving businesses and institutions in Canada, China, Mexico and the United States. It operates through a highly integrated network including nearly 600 branches, 17 distribution centers and multiple Websites with sales over $5.5 billion. Grainger shares are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges under the symbol GWW.