Grainger Buys Techni-Tool

Jan. 1, 2013
W.W. Grainger Inc., Lake Forest, Ill., announced plans to purchase Techni-Tool Inc., Worcester, Pa., a 200-plus employee distributor in the cable television,

W.W. Grainger Inc., Lake Forest, Ill., announced plans to purchase Techni-Tool Inc., Worcester, Pa., a 200-plus employee distributor in the cable television, voice-data-video (VDV), government, smart grid and security niches.

According to Techni-Tool's website, the company did $88 million in 2011 sales, and “has been the leading provider of test equipment, tool kits, soldering supplies, ESD products, chemicals, hand tools and more to the electronic production industry for over 50 years.”

“Our products are available through our catalogs, website and direct sales force, and 95% of all orders are shipped the same day,” the website said.

“In 1955, Techni-Tool founder Ben Weiss was involved in a 63-year-old mail order dental company when calls started coming in from industrial companies requesting certain types of dental instruments they could not find anywhere else, such as fine cutting pliers, wire holders and tweezers. By 1959, Techni-Tool was born.”

There are some familiar names on Techni-Tool's line card, including 3M, Brady, Fluke and Textronix. The company has 28 local sales offices around the world.