NEWS

Vopak Changes Name To Univar USA Inc

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Vopak has announced that the company’s chemical distribution operation has become an independent organization. It will operate under the name Univar USA Inc.

Under the former structure, Vopak had two operating businesses — chemical distribution and chemical logistics and storage. Following the split, which took effect July 1, the chemical distribution operation took the name Univar USA Inc., while the chemical logistics and storage operation retained the name Vopak.

John Bolanos, vice president of Uni-var’s Professional Products and Services (PP&S) business unit, said the split will allow Univar USA Inc. to focus on its core competency — distribution.

“We weren’t able to create the synergies between the two chemical operations as we had thought, so we thought it would be best to make the split,” Bolanos said. “The name Vopak had a lot more meaning in the chemical logistic business so it stayed there.”

On April 2, 2001, the Van Waters & Rogers (VW&R) and Ellis & Everard (E&E) brands consolidated under one name — Vopak. At one time, Van Waters & Rogers was a part of the Univar Corporation, and thus the name Univar was well known throughout the chemical distribution industry.

Therefore, instead of finding a new name, the Vopak chemical distribution operation referred back to the Univar name.

Bolanos added that he is not overly concerned about possible disruptions that might occur as a result of the name change based on past experiences.

“When we converted from Van Waters & Rogers to Vopak we found that a name change wasn’t that significant if it was the only thing that changed,” he said. “Our customers will continue to call the same numbers, talk to the same people and all of our services and products are the same.”

SITEMONTVALE, N.J. — The newly created Bayer Environmental Science, North America recently announced several key management appointments for its Professional Products Business Unit.

Steve Burt has been named head of U.S. Professional Pest Management Business. Other announcements include the appointment of Nicholas Hamon Ph.D., as head of Development and Technical Services. In addition, Montvale, N.J., was named the North American headquarters for Bayer Environmental Science.

Burt, who most recently served as president of Aventis subsidiary TechPac LLC, will oversee Bayer Environmental Science’s line of insecticides for use in professional termite and general pest control.

In his former role, Burt was responsible for strategic development and business performance for TechPac, a venture responsible for bringing certain Aventis active ingredients to the consumer home and garden market. While with TechPac, he managed several products for do-it-yourself consumer pest control, including Sevin and the U.S. launch of Over ’n Out! fire ant killer. Burt brings experience in the professional pest management industry, having served as European manager, Public Hygiene for AgrEvo Environmental Health.

“Steve Burt’s extensive senior management experience — both in the U.S. and abroad — in addition to his background in pest management, make him the ideal choice to head our Professional Pest Management Business,” said Josh Weeks, Head of Professional Products Business Unit, Bayer Environmental Science, North America.

Hamon, former director, development and technical services for Aventis Environmental Science, North America, will support Bayer activities in the professional pest management industry. In his former role with Aventis E.S., Hamon led the North American Development and Technical Services team, which was comprised of 40 laboratory- and field-based personnel and technical specialists.

“Nick Hamon has distinguished himself with his work on innovative, low-dose active ingredients, making him an ideal candidate to head our technical development efforts,” Weeks said.

Burt and Hamon will work out of Bayer E.S.’s new Montvale, N.J., corporate headquarters. Montvale is the former headquarters of Aventis E.S. “The site selection for the North American headquarters was a very difficult decision that took quite a significant amount of time. Bayer conducted a fairly in-depth study using outside consultants to analyze all current and new potential sites,” Weeks said. “Based on our business model going forward, Montvale proved to offer the least disruption to families and to the business.”

In other related news, Mike McDermott, former vice president, professional products, Aventis Environmental Science, recently left Bayer Environmental Science. He has accepted a newly created position at Dupont as global head of the non-crop business.  

Bayer Environmental Science is a business group of Bayer CropScience, formed from the 2002 acquisition of Aventis Crop-Science by Bayer AG.

DICHLORVOS: EPA’S LATEST OP TARGET

WASHINGTON — Dichlorvos, a.k.a. DDVP, one of two pesticides that the Environmental Protection Agency determined in June posed unreasonable health risks by acting together as cumulative poisons, has become the latest in a long line of organophosphates (OPs) to be targeted by EPA.

OPs are the class of pesticides that have been on EPA’s “most wanted list” since the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) passed in 1996. In August 1999, then-Administrator Carol Browner announced that EPA had completed its evaluation of the first one-third of chemicals to be re-evaluated as part of FQPA. At that time, EPA announced it was going to cancel all uses of methyl parathion and restrict certain uses of azinphos methyl. Both are organophosphates.

Since then, pest control uses of popular OPs, such as chlorpyrifos and diazinon, have become severely restricted or entirely phased out by manufacturers. EPA’s most recent assessment of DDVP is in regards to the use of the product in pest strips and other residential applications.

Richard Kramer, technical director, American Pest Management, said he was surprised EPA did not take action on DDVP sooner. “Compared to Dursban it is a much more volatile product because of its ability to penetrate packaging,” he said.

EPA did not comment on commercial uses of DDVP in its most recent assessment. DDVP still has commercial applications today, especially for pest control companies servicing food-processing facilities. It is effective at controlling stored product pests.

“It fills a niche between using pyrethrin, which just knocks down adult flying insects and fumigation, which kills everything if done right,” Kramer said. “It has the volatility characteristics which allow it to penetrate packaging to a certain degree and to get into stacks of stored food products and other stored products.”

Jerry Keown, general manager, Presto-X Company, says his company and others use DDVP for ULV treatments in cereal-processing facilities.

“It doesn’t take the place of a fumigation but it can be used in between fumigations,” Keown said. “In other words, you might fumigate a cereal-processing facility once or twice a year and in between supplement with (DDVP ULV treatments).”

Keown added that although the use of DDVP in the pest control industry is fairly limited, he believes DDVP is a safe and effective product.

“It is easy to apply and doesn’t leave illegal residues when applied according to the label,” Keown said. “I just think that it’s an excellent product that we, as in industry, need to maintain and protect.”

NPMA HOSTS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, ACADEMY

DUNN LORING, VA. — For the first time, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) hosted its Management Institute and Academy back to back in the same location, June 11-16 in Tucson, Ariz. Traditionally, the two events have been held at different locations and at different times of the year. The Management Institute, sponsored by Univar, was held June 12-13.

Attendees heard from Greg Carpenter from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. The focus of the Management Institute was to help PCOs learn more about their customers, their customers’ buying habits and how to package their goods and services to maximize profits and customer loyalty. This was done through a combination of interactive group-based discussions and also classroom-style learning sessions. Attendees were challenged to think beyond their own company dynamics and to expand their visions to include the larger picture.

Immediately after The Management Institute, NPMA Academy, sponsored by Syngenta and PCT Magazine and developed by the Leadership Development Group (LDG), began. Although the traditional Academy “Olympics” were toned down from years past, the level of excitement and overall Academy energy were at extreme highs, according to Jonathan Larsen, NPMA’s communications director. At the conclusion of the Olympics, the gold team took home the gold medal, the green team took silver and the blue team took bronze.

Academy discussion topics included: operating ratios for the pest management industry, wage and benefits analysis within the industry and an analysis of recent industry strategic planning sessions conducted by NPMA. Other program highlights included the lunch program by comedian and author Larry Winget; former Southwest Airlines CEO Howard Putnam, who talked about how paying attention to employees will pay dividends in the long run; and a guest appearance by “Austin Powers,” who hosted a remake of the game show The Weakest Link.

NCPCA DONATES 200 TERMITE PRETREATMENTS

DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Pest Control Association (NCPCA) recently agreed to donate more than 200 termite pretreatments for homes being built by Habitat for Humanity. In cooperation with its members, NCPCA has pledged to treat homes under construction in 49 North Carolina counties.

Subterranean termite treatment is required by the North Carolina building code on all residential structures throughout the state. The average cost of a termite treatment during the construction phase of a home is between $250 and $300 per home — making the donation worth nearly $60,000.

“We wanted to provide a service to an organization that has historically needed volunteers and secondly we were looking for a philanthropic project for our industry,” NCPCA Executive Director Mike Borden told PCT.

Borden said that response from PCOs has been fantastic and that many companies agreed to donate multiple treatments. He said he was not surprised with NCPCA’s involvement, noting that the association once raised more than $10,000 in one month for Special Olympics.

“What I am surprised about is how quickly everyone responded,” he said. “(PCOs) are at the peak of their season and they have plenty of opportunities to do termite work, but they have been willing to find the time for this project.”

SCHOLARSHIP FUND RAISES $20,000

MILWAUKEE — More than $21,653 has been collected for the Joe Cheshire Scholarship Fund, according to LiphaTech.

Joe Cheshire, LiphaTech’s Southeast territory district sales manager for eight years, died of cancer earlier this year. In his honor, the Georgia Pest Control Association established a scholarship fund for his two children, Mayson, 15 and Katie, 12.

“The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, but this comes as no surprise to us. Joe was well known and well liked in this industry,” said Carl Tanner, LiphaTech vice president of North American sales and marketing. LiphaTech matched $10,000 in contributions.