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Have you ever worked with a tarp? In many outdoor industries such as landscaping, tree trimming, and roofing, tarps are an everyday tool that assist workers in moving heavy materials and large volumes of debris across the ground. If you are familiar with the process, you have probably experienced the cumbersome process of bending over, grabbing the tarp’s corners, leaning your weight back, walking backward, and dragging that heavy tarp.

Before Aaron Farrer invented The Apparatus for Navigating Tarps (The A.N.T.), this was the standard, back-breaking practice. His tool, The A.N.T., is a heavy-duty, padded strap that makes working with tarps faster, easier, and safer. Simply clip the attached carabiners into the eyelets of a tarp, lean your body into the pad, and pull a loaded tarp all while standing upright and facing forward.

Aaron’s inspiration for The A.N.T. came to him in 2009 as a middle school student working for his father, Ben’s, lawn service. Ben Farrer has been the owner of Lafayette lawn service, Lawns Etc. since 1990. After dragging countless tarps the traditional way, Aaron was tired, frustrated, and certain that there must be a better way. After several rounds of trial and error and some creative ingenuity, the original prototype was born. 

Shannon Harris, who is a former Lawns Etc. employee, attests: “The A.N.T. is a total game changer. I work in tree care now and because of The A.N.T., I’m not breaking my back anymore!”

By 2016, Aaron and Ben knew they were on to something and started the process of obtaining a patent. After several years, their efforts paid off, and both a utility and method patent were awarded. Even if they never sold one, they were proud of Aaron’s invention.

While Ben continues to use The A.N.T. in his lawn service work today, Aaron has since taken on an entrepreneurial role of his own. By the start of 2021, Aaron had finished an enlistment with the Indiana Army National Guard, and received his bachelor’s degree from IUPUI. With the patents in hand and no lingering commitments to the Army or college, there was a clear opportunity for Aaron to start a business with his father. 

Their first step was to seek expertise from someone that had experience growing a business on a larger scale. Ben’s brother-in-law, Erick Smith, was brought into the fold. Erick helped create a home-grown farm-to-table operation, This Old Farm, in 2009. Erick is also the co-founder of national electrical engineering firm, Incident Energy Engineering. With Erick’s technical know-how and business experience, Ben’s industry knowledge, and Aaron’s invention and dedication, the trio was complete. Together, Aaron, Ben, and Erick founded their family-owned company, Practical Products.

Throughout 2021, Practical Products has faced the challenges of turning prototypes of the A.N.T. into something real. Despite experiencing the labor and supply chain shortages of the COVID-19 pandemic in their first year of business, the trio’s efforts resulted in a tangible product. Ultimately, they were able to source nearly all of their labor and components from local companies in Indiana.

In an effort to minimize costs, every A.N.T. goes through final assembly and is QC’d by Aaron in his Ellettsville home. After years of laying the foundation for their business, the Practical Products team is excited to finally have a product they are ready to share with others.. Although upsetting in most cases, Aaron is happy to have a house full of A.N.T.s.

If you want to learn more about how The A.N.T. can make your business more profitable, efficient, and safe, contact Aaron at aaron@theanttool.com.

About The A.N.T.:

The A.N.T. is a patented, heavy-duty tool assembled in the USA by Practical Products that makes the process of moving tarps faster, easier, and more efficient. At 10 feet long, it is compatible with virtually all tarps. If you employ people who use tarps for debris removal, an A.N.T. in every truck, trailer, or toolbox can help your business maximize profits, bolster safety, and make its users' jobs easier. Practical Products’ goal is to help people abandon the archaic method of tarp dragging by providing an accessible and compelling alternative.