Doug Langston sees it every day as the safety manager at a distribution warehouse for a major package delivery corporation near Seattle.

Langston relies on HART Health’s industrial first aid stations to address everyday health and safety concerns of the company’s 175 workers. Among the most popular supplies at the bustling warehouse is HART’s extensive line of adhesive bandages. The company’s workers, who do rough-and-tough jobs such as driving forklifts and lifting heavy packages, get all types of minor abrasions and cuts.

“Eighty percent of our workers are on the front lines doing the heavy lifting,” Langston says. “They tend to devour the bandages, so it’s very fair to call them popular. They have their run of the kits and seem to always be reaching for those adhesive bandages. It’s great because they come in different shapes and sizes and are so much stickier and tougher than your standard over-the-counter bandage.”

Langston’s company has been using HART Health’s van service for years. “I’ve been here since 2003, and the kits were already a staple by then,” he adds. “They’re just great.”

At HART Health we hear testimonials like Langston’s all the time. Our customized industrial strength first aid supplies are designed to be far superior to standard over-the-counter retail products. They are tougher, longer lasting, and more effective and typically more affordable.

Just as important, the market for our products is vast. Spending on industrial first aid supplies continues to skyrocket, even during the recession, and it’s not expected to stop. In fact, a recent report published by Inuit Inc. predicts that in the coming decade spending on health and wellness products will become the world’s largest market.

Interested in self-employment via a dynamic franchisor positioned to soar in the economy of the future? Check out HART Health.

The 50-acre campus is pesticide free, makes extensive use of solar energy and operates a comprehensive recycling program. When it comes to workplace and classroom safety, the school turns to HART Health.

When it comes to its own safety, the Seattle-based company, one of the most respected outdoor equipment manufacturers in the world, turns to HART Health. Cascade takes employee health and safety seriously and goes to great lengths to protect employees so they have excellent first aid supplies, and can stay on the job and be productive in the event of a scrape, cold, small cut or upset stomach.

Jason Blaschka, Cascade’s director of safety, previously worked for a large company with 4,000 employees that switched to HART Health because of dissatisfaction with its former first aid supplies provider. He was happy to see Cascade Designs had switched to HART Health because HART’s first aid stations are very popular with employees.

“We are dedicated to our employees as much as we are to our brand,” says Blaschka. “Our employees really love HART Health products. I can tell you one way I know they are top notch: I never get any complaints on the quality. It’s one reason I really love HART. Another is because of the unique inventory control system; we never have to worry about running out of supplies.”

At HART Health we hear stories like Blaschka’s over and over. We’ve spent more than 30 years building a brand that’s recognized widely for quality and affordability. We’ve created strong bonds of trust with thousands of companies that rely on us for the best and most affordable first aid program. Our industrial first aid supplies and over-the-counter medications set the standard for the commercial workplace.

“I’ve always valued HART’s excellence and their great service,” Blaschka says. “I have absolutely no reason to go anywhere else for our first aid supplies. My attitude is, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Another thing’s for sure – the market for industrial first aid service is wide open.

Our franchises are growing and in many markets provide a much better alternative to the two large corporate competitors, Zee Medical and Cintas. Spending on industrial first aid supplies has continued to grow even during the economic downturn and as the job market improves, spending will continue to grow.

OSHA requires companies to stock first aid supplies plus having them on hand makes employees happy. In fact, it might just be one of the least expensive ways to improve employee morale.

HART Health is uniquely positioned to dominate this niche and as a HART franchise owner, you could grow with us. Interested in finding out more about HART Health and the opportunity to sell and deliver products that make life better? Search around the site and click the “request information” button.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that working around dust-filled air can be hard on the eyes. But finding the most effective products to relieve constant eye irritation can be a problem.

Like many companies, Holroyd outsources stocking and management of OSHA-required first aid supplies. Holroyd had been using Zee Medical, a HART Health competitor, and was unhappy with the cost and level of service.

Jack Benner, Holroyd’s longtime safety director, was relieved when he discovered HART Health’s van service and especially its industrial strength eyewash and eye drops, Eye Clean and TheraTears.

“Our drivers have to deal with a very dusty environment,” Benner says. “They face constant irritations and make hearty use of HART Health eyewashes and eye drops. They are very good products. We never hear any complaints.”

Benner first made the decision to contract with the company after a cost comparison with competitors. He soon discovered the higher quality and lower cost of HART Health products.

“When we switched over from Zee Medical, the biggest factor was HART’s lower price,” Benner says. “We were immediately impressed by the company’s fast and reliable service. The products are great too, so using the company is a no-brainer.”

It’s a story we hear over and over from HART Health customers; and we can’t hear it enough.

At HART Health we refuse to sacrifice excellence for affordability. We are dedicated to providing the best and most reasonably priced industrial first aid supplies and over-the-counter products for the commercial workplace.

Holroyd’s 100-plus employees have responded positively to all the products in HART Health’s industrial first aid stations, Benner adds.

“Their aspirin (Aspirin Pain Reliever) is very popular, and so is the ibuprofen-based product (Proprinal),” Benner says.

HART Health’s franchises are growing and, in many markets, provide a much better alternative to traditional competitors, Zee Medical and Cintas. True to the company’s philosophy of providing the highest quality products and exceptional service while controlling costs, a HART Health van delivery franchise is one of the most affordable in the franchise service sector. It offers low overhead, flexibility and the opportunity to sell and deliver products that make life better.

Simply put, HART Health is a “feel good” business involved in the work of helping others with health and wellness and providing fantastic customer service. Interested? Fill out the form to the right and let’s talk.

Few things are more frustrating than poor service combined with high prices. It is a scenario that often drives customers to use HART Health’s industrial first aid supply van service.

Rob Dieta, safety director of SSA Marine in Seattle, Washington, first turned to HART Health because of his disappointment with another industrial first aid kit supplier – ZEE Medical. After experiencing HART Health’s service, supplies and products, Dieta realized what he’d been missing.

“At first the decision to go with HART was a financial decision,” he says. ”ZEE Medical was not a good experience. We knew we were being overcharged. Those numbers just don’t lie. It was just too expensive, and we were dissatisfied with their service.”

That is a problem we at HART Health know how to solve. Our inventory control system helps keep costs down and customer satisfaction high. Customers know what to expect and when to expect it.

The folks at SSA Marine depend on it. SSA Marine, a subsidiary of Carrix, Inc., is the largest U.S. owned, and the largest privately held container terminal operator and cargo handling company in the world. The Seattle headquarters employs more than 800 people and depends on more than 20 HART Health commercial first aid stations to insure the worker safety, Dieta says.

Handling marine cargo and offloading it from container ships can be strenuous and stressful. Minor injuries, muscle aches and pains, headaches and small cuts aren’t uncommon. HART Health supplies “are affordable, well-used and appreciated,” says Dieta.

Not only that: employees, who sometimes work in the chilly Seattle rain, often get colds and suffer from congestion and coughs.

“Everyone uses the decongestant (Sudo-Tab PE) and the cold remedies.” Dieta says. “The ibuprofen-related product is very effective (Proprinal). The high-quality bandages are great for small cuts and scrapes, and these first aid stations are full of top-quality products from top to bottom.”

Top-notch products and first-class service add up to customers who stick with us. Our approach builds customer loyalty and gives new franchise owners a solid foundation to build upon, so it is no surprise that we are growing. Interested? If you want to learn how this business could be a great career move for you, fill out the form to the right and let’s talk.

The tens of thousands of pharmaceutical sales reps laid off in recent years share more than a pink slip: They have valuable, proven sales skills that may make them a good fit for a HART Health franchise.

We operate in a niche of medical sales and sell, stock and service first aid kits and supplies to commercial customers with at least 50 employees. By law, companies must provide adequate first aid supplies to treat workplace injuries.

For pharmaceutical company representatives, the transition to HART Health would not be difficult. Some of the obstacles that pharma reps face don’t exist for us. More and more physician practices, hospitals and university medical centers are restricting access by drug company sales staff. These medical providers limit the days and hours they’ll even let a rep through the door.

HART is different. Not only must companies stock first aid supplies, HART Health products are top-quality, affordable and easy to sell. OSHA requires companies to provide necessary first aid supplies for their employees and most companies outsource management and supply of first aid kits. Outsourcing controls costs and helps companies stay in legal compliance with little effort.

We’ve been in business since 1974, manufacture most our our products and use a proprietary handheld inventory tracking system so franchisees can easily track usage and monitor product levels. HART Health first aid products are in use nationwide and are considered the highest quality commercial grade first aid supplies available.

For people with pharmaceutical or medical sales experience, owning a HART Health franchise is an attractive option. It’s a work-from-home business with little overhead that’s easy to start and we’ve got great systems in place to get new franchisees off the ground quickly. Interested? Give us a call or fill out our contact form and start a conversation with us.

Related Articles: Pharmaceutical Firm Layoffs Create Large Pool of Potential HART Health Entrepreneurs and Significant Pharmaceutical Industry Changes Could Help HART Health

Photo Cred: Piyachok Thawornmat

Niche commercial first aid business is an option for former drug company reps.

HART Health is growing aggressively  at the same time upheaval in the pharmaceutical industry is claiming thousands of thousands of jobs.

The layoffs predated the recession, producing numbers that are both staggering and sobering: In 2008 alone, Merck shed 8,400 workers; Schering-Plough, 5,500; Wyeth, 5,000; UCB Pharma, 2,000; AstraZeneca, 1,400 and Abbott Labs, 1,000. Glaxo-Smith-Kline laid off 5,000 people in 2007.

In 2009, pharmaceutical companies laid off about 61,000, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement specialist. In 2010, the industry had the most layoffs within the private sector, 54,000 — about 10 percent of the total lost jobs, the company reported in January.  Two of the 10 largest layoffs, including the public sector, occurred at drug companies last year: Merck laid off 17,500 people (Number 2) and Pfizer laid off 6,000 (Number 10).

Multiple factors are driving the decline but the bottom line for those who’ve lost their jobs is that that the pharmaceutical industry is not what it once was and may never be.

For these scores of employees “in transition,” owning a HART Health franchise is a solid option.

HART manufactures and distributes first aid supplies for the workplace. OSHA requires companies to provide necessary first aid supplies for their employees and most companies outsource management and supply of first aid kits, which controls costs and helps companies stay in legal compliance with little effort.

We manufacture many of our own products, which are considered the highest quality commercial first aid supplies on the market, and handle billing and other back-office functions for our franchisees.

Even during the recession we’ve grown. In 2010, we launched a new franchise system and acquired the van service division of Synergy Logistics, a Seattle-based first aid supply company.

HART Health is on a roll. If you think you’d like to join us, let’s talk.

Related Article: Significant Pharmaceutical Industry Changes Could Help HART Health

Photo Cred: Graur Codrin

Mergers, acquisitions, impending patent expiration, competition from generic drugs and a shift toward more managed care have thrown the pharmaceutical industry into a tailspin and big names are shedding workers by the thousands.

These fundamental industry shifts include contraction of large national sales forces, creating big layoffs but an equally big pool of potential HART Health franchisees.

For pharmaceutical industry employees “in transition,” taking a look at HART Health franchise opportunities makes sense. We manufacture, distribute and service workplace first aid kits and other common medical supplies, including over-the-counter pain relief, cold and flu treatments and digestive aids. We don’t have to worry about losing a big chunk of profits because our patent on a brand-name drug will soon expire.

Sanofi-Adventis, in contrast, soon will face generic competition for three of its top products – anticlotting medicines Lovenox and Plavix and cancer drug Taxotere. Those three drugs alone account for nearly 25 percent of the company’s $40 billion in annual sales, according to a story on Yahoo! Finance. AstraZeneca is expected to to lose patent protection soon on two key drugs: Armidex, a breast cancer therapy; and Pulmicort Respules, an asthma treatment.

Pharmaceutical firms are cutting their U.S. sales forces but building them up abroad to take advantage of newer, untapped markets. They are using information technology to streamline support functions. Drug firms will feel the pinch, too, as the focus on managed care dictates leaner operations across all aspects of health care service and product delivery.

One of the few sectors of the pharmaceutical industry not in decline is the manufacture and distribution of industrial first aid supplies. Companies in this niche are experiencing sales increases as employers spend more on preventative supplies in the workplace.

Photo Credit: Graur Razvan Ionut

HART Health has become one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of first aid supplies designed for the industrial workplace and has earned a reputation for providing the best commercial grade first aid supplies money can buy. HART’s products keep hundreds of thousands of American workers on the job, feeling better and staying productive.

Since its inception in 1974, HART Health has focused solely on first aid supplies for the workplace. Its products are always a step ahead of the market and thanks to the leadership and passion of CEO and founder Larry Shaw, Hart is thriving.

Shaw purchased a small chain of pharmacies in 1974 and built it into one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of industrial first aid supplies. In 1997, spurred by changes to OSHA and ANSI regulations that required businesses to stock adequate workplace first aid supplies, Shaw started a highly successful van-delivery service model of first aid supplies to businesses that gained tremendous ground in the Pacific Northwest. Two years later he launched a ground-breaking handheld wireless inventory control and invoicing system, the only one of its kind in the industry. Today, HART is expanding its franchise system nationally and it is recognized as one of the best low-investment franchises with solid earnings claims in today’s franchise market.

Shaw, a licensed pharmacist, with an MBA, is also an adventurer and family man. He enjoys boating, canoeing and hiking Washington State’s majestic mountain ranges. A country music fan, Shaw lives on a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle, near the houseboat featured in the romantic comedy “Sleepless in Seattle.”

HART Health: How did you get started with HART Health?
Larry Shaw: It was the mid-1970s. I was out of pharmacy school at the University of Washington, working for HART Health’s predecessor and studying for an MBA. Two key people in the company died in a plane crash, and I saw the company struggling. I went to my father and asked for his help to buy the company. He helped me out with a loan. I paid everything back, the company was a success and we were co-owners until recently. My father is my hero.

HH: Can you share one of the primary secrets of the HART Health brand?
LS: People have an emotional attachment to the medical supplies they put in and on their body. Think about it – everyone has a favorite pain killer or antacid they use or a type of adhesive bandage they prefer. People are loyal to what works because nobody likes being in pain and it’s human nature to cling to the products that provide the quickest relief. I get excited about designing products that work better than anything else on the market and that’s what fuels our growth.

If you can demonstrate that you have a better quality product than what people have been using and focus on every detail of that product to make it work better, then they will trust you. You may need to demonstrate it side by side with other products, but when they see it, they will become believers. They’ll say, “You really do understand first aid. We believe in you, in your company, in your product.” At HART Health when we talk about quality, we can demonstrate it. That’s fundamental to our success. We’re very passionate about our products and we have very loyal customers as a result. We retain over 95 percent of our customers – once they experience how much better our products are, they stick with us and become fans. If you don’t believe me, try some of our products. They speak for themselves.

HH: Why did you decide to franchise HART Health?
LS: This might sound corny, but I really want to help other people be successful. HART Health is a great dream that changed my life. I want to share it. We’re not about growing just to make more money. We’re already a well-established successful business model. But take a look at this market, 70-80 percent of it is “the big guys,” large corporations doing big business. There’s nothing wrong with that, but that’s not who we are. We’d like to help small business owners in their own local communities. Small business owners – franchisees – are the ones who get passionate about products and franchisees work harder and put in far more effort than the big guys. I like to see David beat Goliath. It happens every day.

HH: Can you say more about HART Heath’s attention to detail?
LS: If you want to produce a better quality product, it’s really the little things that make the difference. From our medications and adhesive bandages to our “almost-instant” automated inventory and accounting systems, we’ve taken a look and asked ourselves, “How can we make it better?” Proprinal, our higher quality and less expensive version of Advil, has been improved by designing an easier swallow pill that doesn’t taste bitter. Our adhesive bandages are constructed with island pads, which have adhesive that surrounds the entire pad with sticky areas on four sides. The bandage stays on, keeps the wound tight and does a better job of keeping the germs out.

We sell millions of adhesive bandages of all shapes and sizes every year. People who work in environments where they need adhesive bandages really appreciate ours – they are head and shoulders above anything else on the market. Cut your finger and we have a bandage that will stay on all day and help your cut heal faster with less chance of infection. We make bandages for fingertips, knuckles, fingers, elbows and knees. We have special lines of food service bandages and water resistant bandages that stay on all day. We don’t mess around when it comes to designing the best products money can buy.We’ve taken this same approach with all of our branded products.

HH: How can companies benefit from having basic first aid supplies and common medications in the workplace?LS: In the case of basic first aid supplies, the law requires it and stocking quality supplies means employees get the right care and can return to work more quickly after a minor injury. Beyond that, providing common, non-prescription painkillers and antacids can save companies thousands of dollars in lost productive time. One productivity study showed common aches and pains, including headaches, backaches and digestive problems, cost U.S. businesses $61 billion a year. Providing the right supplies is a bargain by comparison — pennies per employee per day.

HH: What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since 1974?
LS: I’ve certainly learned that trial by fire can be a good thing. It can be really good to be humbled before you realize true success. Business isn’t always easy, the earlier you get that lesson, the better off you are going to be. I learned that during the first three years of running the company. They were difficult years. I’m really proud of the profitable turnaround we made when we were just starting out. I’m proud that we’ve remained profitable all these years. I’ve never taken it for granted, and I know I can help others avoid the mistakes I made when I started.

Another important lesson of is one of personal responsibility. Ultimately you build your success with your own personal commitment. It’s the No. 1 mantra in my life, something I’m very passionate about. I learned much of that lesson from my father’s example. He’s an amazing gentleman, the kind of a person who makes a huge difference in your life. He held me accountable and helped me learn that everything in my life is up to me.

HH: Where do you see HART going in the future?
LS: By expanding to other parts of the country, we’re offering opportunities to entrepreneurs who want the passion of a local business without the extreme risk factor that goes along with starting it from scratch. New franchisees get a tremendous unbelievable amount of support and expertise from the HART Health corporate side. We’ve got 36 years of experience behind us. We’ve perfected our products in every detail. We’ve diligently worked out our delivery, accounting systems and our approach to sales. You’re on solid ground with an established company and we’re motivated to help you thrive. We don’t do well unless you do.

For HART, the opportunity for growth is huge because the industrial first aid supply business is dominated by large corporate entities that sell lower-quality products at higher prices. We fill a real need. As a business, commercial first aid supply has tremendous growth potential and a new HART Health franchisee can tap into that right away.