Is there such a thing as a recession-proof business?

Mark Libratore, whose Stuart company sells diabetes equipment and other medical supplies, thinks his comes close.

Last week — the same week Florida’s unemployment hit its highest level since 1976 — Libratore’s Liberator Medical Supply said it intends to hire 200 employees within the next two years. That’s including the 50 jobs it announced in January.

The company is getting a $134,000 grant from Workforce Florida to train workers in everything from keyboard skills to Medicare regulations.

So far, Libratore has hired about 21 of the workers, bringing his employee count to 121.

After posting net losses every year since it was founded, Liberator (OTC: LBMH) was profitable during the last two quarters of 2008.

Since customers’ purchases are covered by Medicare, sales have remained strong, Libratore said.

“Were in a supply business that addresses long-term, chronic disease,” he said, “and the supplies that are needed to address these conditions are not optional.”

Tags: diabetes, Florida, grants, jobs, liberator medical supply, mark libratore, medical, sale, sales, Stuart, unemployment

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