Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 4:00pm CDT - Last Modified: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 4:11pm CDT

HEPACART Inc. has signed a distribution agreement with W.W. Grainger Inc., giving its products a national marketing boost.

Herb Farnsworth, who founded HEPACART™ in 2006 in Shawnee, called the distribution agreement a huge opportunity for the company, creating the potential for exponential growth during the next two years. The carts, which sell for about $7,000 each, lock into place and create negative air pressure that captures dust or contaminants that might be stirred up when people do work above the ceiling. It allows work to be performed in hospitals without harming air quality.

"The agreement with Grainger gives us an opportunity to get our product in front of their 80 sales representatives, who call on about 1,100 hospitals," Farnsworth said. "They also have about 850 government sales representatives scattered around the country who call on military bases, and state and local government hospitals. So I think this puts us in a position to significantly grow our business."

Farnsworth said he worked on the distribution agreement with Grainger for about a year. He said Grainger offered a similar, cheaper product that didn't have the lifespan of HEPACART™.

"Their customers were looking for a longer-lasting product and we were looking for a better way to go to the market," Farnsworth said. "It's a good combination."

HEPACART™ has six products listed with Grainger, not including two new products about to be launched.