News

INDUSTRY REVENUES
DECLINED IN 2008

MENDHAM, N.J. — Total service revenue generated by the U.S. structural pest control industry in 2008 was down by close to 2 percent from 2007, according to a new survey conducted by industry market research company Specialty Products Consultants.

According to the SPC survey, the industry generated an estimated $6.593 billion in total service revenue in 2008, down 1.7 percent from the $6.705 billion measured in 2007. (2007’s termite renewal revenues were restated by SPC.)

More than 800 owners or managers of pest control companies were personally interviewed for the study, which analyzes such topics as the impact of the weak housing market, the recession, new active ingredients, and the public demand for “environmentally friendly” or “green” products. The market report also forecasts pest control service revenue and corresponding pesticide product category sales through 2013.

“It’s apparent that the structural pest control industry is not as recession proof as some may have thought,” said Gary Curl, president of SPC, “although some pests, like bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, mice and rats appear to be somewhat recession resistant.”

The survey also indicated that continued good revenue growth from commercial pest services could not offset declining residential termite and general pest control service revenue. The dire housing market resulted in a nearly 15 percent decline in the number of post-construction termite treatments performed in 2008, Curl said. The pre-construction termite treatment market was especially hard hit by the more than 40 percent decline in single-family housing starts last year.

The study also showed that total manufacturer-level revenue declined for the second year in a row. Continued weakness in the housing market, coupled with the recession, resulted in another disappointing year for most manufacturers and distributors, the company said.

Meanwhile, total service revenue derived from controlling bed bugs grew nearly one-third over the prior year, according to the survey. In the Northeast region, nearly 10 percent of the total general pest control service revenue was generated from servicing accounts for bed bugs, according to the report.
For more information about the report, contact Curl at gcurl@spcresearch.com.

*****

BASF Updates Web Site
ST. LOUIS — The BASF Pest Control Solutions Web site for pest management professionals now includes current information about the company’s new products and post-merger organization, including the new sales and technical representatives serving the United States. Visit www.pestcontrol.basf.us for news about BASF Pest Control Solutions and to access a variety of information for pest management professionals, including product information, training, literature and marketing tools.

*****

Correction
In the April issue of PCT PCO Jeff Ledford’s company was misidentified. Ledford opened EcoPest, Sun Valley, Idaho, in September 2007. PCT regrets the error.

*****
Prentiss Buys EcoSMART’s Commercial Division

ALPHARETTA, GA. — SantoLubes/Prentiss in March announced the purchase the commercial division of EcoSMART Technologies, which includes EcoPCO, EcoEXEMPT and EcoSMART Commercial product lines. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

SantoLubes entered the pesticide industry when it purchased Prentiss in October 2008, and expressed interest in growing the company. It has begun that process with the addition of EcoSMART’s commercial division, company officials report.

“Prentiss and EcoSMART have been close partners since the late 1990s, when EcoSMART was looking for distribution assistance for its unique line of botanical insecticides,” said Larry Eichler, president of Prentiss. “At that time we saw an opportunity to become EcoSMART’s master distributor and set up a partnership to help both companies prepare for the inevitable changes the professional industry was most certain to experience due to the Food Quality Protection Act passed in 1996.”

David Murphy, vice president of Eco-SMART’s Commercial Division, said the time had come for EcoSMART to identify a partner to assume the business in both the professional and industrial markets. “We have clearly established ourselves as the industry leader in viable botanical pesticide solutions, but recently we decided to focus more attention on our rapidly growing retail product offerings. So it was critical that we handed the commercial baton to the right partner, and Prentiss was by far the best choice.”

Eichler said Prentiss plans to continue to build on the positive momentum and interest in green pest management. “Prentiss’ roots are actually in botanicals, so the addition of EcoSMART’s botanical professional and commercial products was a natural extension for us,” Eichler said. “With this addition to our product portfolio, we are well positioned to assist both PMPs and distributors to take advantage of the emerging green pest management market.”

*****

Date Book

Send your an announcement at least 14 weeks in advance to jdorsch@giemedia.com. For additional dates, visit www.pctonline.com/events.

• July 23-25: NPMA’s Academy 2009, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix, Ariz. Contact: NPMA, 703/352-6762 or visit www.npmapestworld.org.
• Aug. 4: PCT Seminar Series — Bed Bugs: A rapidly emerging public health threat, Boston. Contact: 800/456-0707 or visit www.bedbugseminars.com.
• Aug. 4-6: Mexican Association of Pest Control Professionals’ Expo Control de Plagas, Mexico City. Contact: info@expocontroldeplagas.org.mx or visit www.expocontroldeplagas.org.mx.
• Aug. 6-8: NPMA’s Carolinas/Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference 2009, Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, Savannah, Ga. Contact: See July 23.

*****

Crawling May Have
Replaced Swarming,
Termite Researchers Say

GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Just because you haven’t seen termite swarms in or around your customers’ houses, doesn’t mean they’re not busily devouring them.

It’s been about five years since the southeastern U.S. saw a “good” termite swarm season like those that were once common, University of Florida researchers say. In the last few years, termites have swarmed for perhaps two or three days, but nothing like the frequent, repeated swarms that used to occur, said Phil Koehler, an urban entomology professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Koehler said he believes he knows why swarms are scarce. Pest control operators have begun to see wingless, crawling termites. Termites don’t need to fly to mate, so rather than swarming, they’re crawling off by the thousands to form new colonies, he said.

That means homeowners and even pest control professionals can miss these events, because no telltale wings are left behind. And without evidence of infestation, homeowners may not get the warning they need.

“It’s like having a smoke alarm without a battery in it,” Koehler said. “If you have termites right now, you could have significant damage and not have any sign of it.”

Koehler and research associate scientist Roberto Pereira say they believe two factors have kept termite swarms to a minimum: better pest control methods and drought conditions in the southeastern U.S. Despite recent heavy rains and even flooding in some areas, much of Florida remains under severe drought conditions, according to IFAS’ Southeast Climate Consortium. When deprived of water, subterranean termites stay underground searching for it, Koehler said, which is why he believes the drought is at least partly to blame for the dearth of swarms. Koehler and Pereira theorize that drought conditions have forced termites underground for so long that by the time they emerge, they’ve lost their wings. If limited swarming continues, it would underscore the need for homeowners to seek professional termite treatment, he said.

Florida’s building codes were strengthened in 2001 to require that new construction include termite protection. In 2004, the state mandated that builders choose termite-protection products from a list of 64 that were proven effective in Florida. Even with those rules, about half of Florida’s homeowners have no termite protection, Koehler said. “It’s pretty cheap to prevent termites, but expensive if you get them,” Pereira said.

Florida Pest Control President D.R. Sapp Jr., whose company’s 20 offices cover much of the state, said he agrees with researchers’ theories about better controls and climate. “It used to be when termites started swarming, our phones would ring off the hook,” he said. “But termites haven’t left, they’re still here. They just don’t rear their heads and make their presence known as they did in the past.”

Arrow Exterminators Launches New
Sustainability Initiative

ATLANTA — Arrow Exterminators has launched a new sustainability initiative, the STEPS Total Protection System.
Short for Sustainability Through Environmental Practices and Solutions, STEPS is a company-wide commitment to provide homes and businesses property protection using the most effective and environmentally responsible methods available. STEPS has been incorporated into every aspect of Arrow’s services to protect families, homes, property and now the environment, the company says.

“The STEPS Total Protection System is born out of our company culture, and we are totally committed to taking steps to reduce our overall environmental footprint while focusing on the most effective methods to serve our customers,” said Arrow President and COO Emily Thomas.

“For over a year, Arrow has been conceptualizing ways to improve our operations to meet the needs and expectations of our customers and employees without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs,” said Cindy Mannes, Arrow’s chief marketing and strategy officer. “The STEPS Total Protection System is an approach we can all feel good about.”

According to Arrow, STEPS is a three-step process that utilizes Integrated Pest Management: first to fully inspect home and property to pinpoint pest issues; second, identify not only the pest, but the true cause of the problem; and third, treat in the most environmentally responsible way to alleviate current issues and help prevent any future recurrence. To fulfill Arrow’s commitment to sustainability, the company is evaluating every facet of how it does business and making adjustments to operate in a sustainable manner wherever possible, such as recycling, reduction of paper usage, office energy conservation and efficient fleet management.

*****

Comings & Goings

If your company has added new personnel, send a photo and press release to jdorsch@giemedia.com.

John Meyer has rejoined Bird Doctor, Paramus, N.J., in the position of director of national sales.

 Target Specialty Products has named Bonnie Hansen as its newest sales representative. Hansen will call on pest management professionals and vegetation managers in the Sacramento, Calif., region.

Jerry Keown retired as vice president of Presto-X, Omaha, Neb., effective March 30, after nearly 50 years of service to the company.

Robin Slatter has been named manager, new product and business development for the Environmental Science Division of Valent BioSciences. Slatter previously worked with Sumitomo Chemical Company’s Vector Control division.

Southern Mill Creek Products of Ohio awarded Loren Cunnington the 2009 Donald S. Kubala Award. Cunnington is the Midwest representative for Zoecon Professional Products.

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) named Aaron Hobbs as the association’s new director of legislative affairs and grassroots outreach.

Massey Services, Orlando, Fla., recently announced four management changes. Ed Dougherty has been appointed to the position of vice president, GreenUP Landscape Services. Rick Beard, who recently rejoined Massey Services, has been promoted to regional manager for the central region. Tony DiBerardino has been appointed to the position of regional manager, west region. Howard Stepleman has been named director of sales.
Buffalo Exterminating announced four promotions in western New York. Ian McCabe, previously service manager, was promoted to sales manager. Mark Pickhardt has been promoted from service supervisor to service manager at the company’s Orchard Park headquarters. Hans Mann was promoted from commercial sales representative to service manager at the company’s new Northtowns Service Center in Clarence. And Jon Potzler has been promoted to lead technician.

*****

Women of Excellence Award Announced

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in May announced a call for nominations for NPMA’s Women of Excellence Award, presented by Orkin. The award recognizes women who advance the pest control industry. Nominations may be submitted online at www.npmapestworld.org until Aug. 14. Self-nominations will be accepted.

“The Women of Excellence Award is the premier recognition program for women pest control professionals and is the only such program in the industry,” said Rob Lederer, executive vice president for NPMA.

The international honor is open to women across the pest control industry. Deserving candidates who demonstrate outstanding leadership and make notable contributions to the development and growth of the profession and other women are encouraged to apply.

 An eligible nominee meets the following criteria:
• Works in the pest control industry (i.e., pest control operator,
        manufacturer, researcher)
• Demonstrates leadership in her professional career
• Makes notable contributions to the good of her profession
• Helps other women succeed in the industry

The winner of NPMA’s Women of Excellence Award will be chosen by a judges’ panel comprised of professionals with backgrounds in pest control, human resources and other industries. The judges are Ellen Dotson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Tory Johnson, Women for Hire magazine; Rob Lederer, NPMA; Faith Oi, Ph.D., University of Florida; and Jean Seawright, CMC, Seawright & Associates.

The award recipient will be notified in September and formally announced at a special award presentation during NPMA’s PestWorld 2009 Convention, Oct. 26-29 in Las Vegas.

“We are proud to celebrate women who have made significant strides to advance their companies, their colleagues and the pest control profession overall,” said Glen Rollins, president and chief operating officer of Orkin, the presenting sponsor of the inaugural award.

For more information about the NPMA Women of Excellence Award, visit www.npmapestworld.org or contact Dominique Stumpf at dstumpf@pestworld.org or 703/352-6762.

Southern Mill Creek Products of Ohio Hosts Open House at New Headquarters

EASTLAKE, OHIO — For its 20th Annual Equipment Show, Southern Mill Creek Products (SMCP) of Ohio welcomed supply partners to its new headquarters in Eastlake, Ohio, in March.

Attendees of this year’s open house had an opportunity to view the latest products from industry manufacturers and meet with SMCP representatives. SMCP moved to the new facility, which includes a warehouse and office, in the middle of December. They moved in one day and were up and running immediately. “We were only down for four hours,” said Carl Hinderer, chief operating officer, SMCP. “The new facility has about 20 percent more office space. We had been at the other location 40 years.” The new office is only about six miles from SMCP’s previous location in nearby Cleveland.

For this year’s open house, SMCP had a designated area in its new warehouse where vendors set up tabletop displays. Fifteen supply partners exhibited at the equipment show, something SMCP does at most of its locations (SMCP has 12 sales locations in addition to its Eastlake headquarters). The supplier held a total of eight such equipment shows this year.

“It’s our annual kick off to spring for our customers,” Hinderer said.

Hinderer says the customer response to the shows has been good and, despite the recession, Hinderer remains “cautiously optimistic” about this year. “Our customers are indicating that they’re expecting a busy season.” — Dan Moreland

*****

PCO News

Purity Pest Control Limited, based in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, has been featured on a recent episode of the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet, which covered the company’s canine bed bug inspection unit and top dog, Inspector Kody, trained to sniff out bed bugs.

Nine employees, friends and family members of Residex ran the Walt Disney World half marathon in January to honor the memory of Linda Moran, an avid runner and wife of Kevin Moran, Residex technical representative from New England. Linda passed away in 2007 from breast cancer but not before running her favorite Walt Disney World half marathon with her family. Chris Donaghy dedicated and sent his medal to the family of DuPont Professional Products’ Curtis Orrben, who passed away in December 2008.

Al Harris Pest Control, Sarasota, Fla., earned the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Readers’ Choice Award for five years in a row, most recently in 2008. The award recognizes the company’s vision, commitment and determination to serving its customers/community.

Wil-Kil Pest Control of Wisconsin and ‘AAA’ Pest Management, Milwaukee, Wis., have been awarded the 2008 Angie’s List Super Service Award. The Super Service Award, now celebrating its 10th year, is given to companies that have achieved and maintained a superior service rating on Angie’s List throughout the past year. Wil-Kil has offices in Sun Prairie, Menomonee Falls, Eau Claire and Appleton. ‘AAA’ has won the award for eight years running.

Knockout Pest Control, based in Uniondale, N.Y., earned NPMA’s QualityPro Green designation.

Environmental Health Services, Norwood, Mass., earned both the QualityPro Green and QualityPro Schools designations from the National Pest Management Association.

Albemarle Termite & Pest Control, Elizabeth City, N.C., recently built and moved into a new 5000-square-foot office building, reports Jay Corprew, owner. (Photo at left)

Honor Guard Pest Management Services of Nashville, Tenn., JP Pest Services of Milford, N.H., and Parkway Exterminating Company of New York have become members of BedBugCentral.com’s “bedbugFREE” family of approved companies, a growing network of pest management firms that share the same service philosophies
as BedBugCentral.com.

PermaTreat Pest Control has been designated a Virginia Green Partner Organization by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Terminix acquired nine pest management companies across seven states during the first three months of 2009. The acquisitions included Source Pest Control, with multiple locations in the Dallas area, and Frontline Pest Control’s operations in Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz. Additional acquisitions included Detex Pest Control, with locations in Riverside, Calif., and Ontario, Calif.; San Francisco-based Ensure Pest Control; Guarantee Pest Control in Downey, Calif.; Jackson Pest Control, with locations in Macon, Ga., and Forest Park, Ga.; Indianapolis-based Mooresville Pest Control; Servello & Sons in Daytona, Fla.; and WORX Pest Control in Las Vegas.

After a deadly tornado struck the town of Murfreesboro, Tenn., in April, Ameri Care Services volunteered to help remove debris and provide assistance to those hit hardest. Ameri Care owner Tom Swett said many customers’ homes were completely destroyed or severely damaged. Additionally, Jim Africano of Tri-Star Pest Management, based in Smyrna, Tenn., offered to help with wildlife removal free of charge to victims of the storm.

In April Orkin received a Readers’ Choice Award from Food Processing magazine. The seventh annual Food Processing Readers’ Choice Awards recognized the top suppliers to the food-processing industry, based on responses to an online survey of the publication’s readers. In other news, the company has expanded its employee base and service areas with the acquisitions of four pest control companies this spring — Invaders Pest Control in Lincoln Park, Mich., Horizon Pest Management in Kea’au, Hawaii, No Bugz of Arizona in Buckhead, Ariz., and Accurate Pest Control in Pontiac, Mich.

*****

Residex Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary; Launches Interactive Initiatives

CRANFORD, N.J. — “Failure is not an option.” These words adorn the walls of the Residex conference room, a quote that inspires Chris Donaghy, CEO and president of Residex, every day.

Donaghy encourages his Residex teammates to fight for a successful outcome despite adversity. He said he believes this “can do” attitude is what led him and a team of investors to purchase Residex five years ago when its parent company, Western Industries, was acquired by Rollins. Donaghy and his team also attribute the achievement to a commitment to three core values: faith, unity and strength.

April 30 marked the five-year anniversary. “What I cherish the most about the whole experience is the way everyone came together on this effort,” Donaghy said. “It felt good to win in the face of adversity and the naysayers who said ‘they won’t make it.’” That kind of a challenge, Donaghy explained, helped him rally the troops behind something they were willing to fight to keep.

“In the end, I was blessed with a group of individuals who did what needed to be done in order to meet and beat the challenge before us,” said Donaghy. “Our investors should not go unrecognized in this big event as they all took a stand for Residex without a second thought, and they have been great partners ever since.”

*****

Kevin Reeder McDowell, Branch Manager of B&G Chemicals and Equipment, Passes Away
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Kevin Reeder McDowell, branch manager of B&G Chemicals and Equipment, Oklahoma City, Okla., passed away on March 24, at age 58.
He worked for B&G Chemicals and Equipment the past 15 years. Reeder McDowell played music professionally since he was 15 years old, was an avid Oklahoma University fan, and was a devoted husband and father. Survivors include wife, Karen and four daughters.

*****

Residex’s product line has grown in recent years to include such offerings as gutter protection systems, dehumidifiers and mattress encasements. The company also recently launched a “Get Started” Business Series that educates pest management professionals on add-on services.

In other company news, Residex has set up official pages on both Facebook and the Spider X blog site. Both venues are designed to allow Residex to communicate with its customers and associates. The blog site, www.spiderx.wordpress.com, is designed to promote causes, ideas, thoughts and events that are important to Residex, the company said. Users are encouraged to interact by posting comments and adding to discussions.

Meanwhile, Facebook users can become friends and fans of Residex and receive news feeds, updates on industry news, or drive conversation on subjects important to the pest management professional network.

 
Bell Laboratories Receives Environmental Award

MADISON, WIS. — Bell Laboratories was honored recently with a 2009 Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award from the Wisconsin Environmental Working Group for its leadership in environmental stewardship.

One of three Wisconsin winners in the environmental innovation category, Bell was singled out for its participation in the Aleutian Seabird Restoration Project on Rat Island in the Alaskan Aleutian Island chain. Bell developed a unique brodifacoum bait, which was capable of being aerially applied, that researchers are using to rid Rat Island of non-native Norway rats that have been ravaging the island’s seabird populations.

The project is a collaborative effort among the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy and the Island Conservation and Ecology Group.

Bell became involved in island restoration projects in 2002 when the company developed a bait to control seabird-preying rats on Anacapa Island, off the coast of California. Since then Bell has worked with island restoration projects in Scotland, Palymra Atoll in the tropical Pacific and is currently working with researchers on the Galapagos Islands.

“Bell is the only U.S. rodenticide manufacturer involved in producing bait that has been successful on these projects. We’re happy to put our expertise to work on such environmentally sensitive and worthwhile projects,” said Bell’s CEO Steve Levy, who accepted the award at a ceremony in Waukesha, Wis., on May 14.

J.F. Oakes Celebrates
20 Years of Service

YAZOO CITY, MISS. — J.F. Oakes in May celebrated 20 years of serving the professional pest control industry. The manufacturer of both Pro-Pest Professional Lures and Advantage Flying Insect Traps, J.F. Oakes exports pest control products worldwide. Chemoak Professional Spray Hoses, Sheffield Masonry Drill Bits and Soil Augers, Minigard Bait Stations, and XLure Pheromone Monitoring Systems for Stored Products Insects are a few of the product lines offered exclusively from J.F. Oakes through distribution channels in the Unites States.