[Acquisition Update] Arrow Exterminators Raids North Florida

In December, Arrow Exterminators of Atlanta made the largest acquisition in its history when it bought Nader’s Pest Raiders of Ponte Vedra Beach and Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Nader’s Pest Raiders had 2009 annual revenues of $6.2 million and was ranked 79th on PCT’s Top 100 list of pest management companies.

"This is a huge step for us," said Arrow CEO and President Emily Thomas Kendrick.

Raiders owner Randy Nader — who Kendrick called a "true entrepreneur" and "wickedly smart" — will join Arrow’s corporate management team and direct operations in Northeast Florida and Coastal Georgia.

For the time being, the offices will operate under the name of Nader’s Pest Raiders, which is an "incredibly strong, reputable brand in those markets," said Kendrick. The immediate focus, she said, is getting everyone on payroll, addressing benefits questions and holding one-on-one employee meetings.

Raider’s 60 employees were surprised by the news, said Nader, who founded the residential pest, termite and lawn service company in 1990.

The deal took two and half months to close, but Nader’s relationship with Arrow COO Jeff Singley goes back 14-plus years. "It was good timing for me, and a good company to do it with," said Nader, 50. "I didn’t consider anybody else."

NEXT STEP. So why sell now? It made financial sense, neither of his two daughters was interested in taking over the business, and he was ready for new challenges on a larger scale, Nader said. "I’m excited," he added. The merger also gives employees more career opportunities, which are limited at a regional company, he said.

The companies share principles of honesty and integrity, Nader added. "They’re a family-owned company. They’re a version of me, only a lot larger," he said.

The merger "plays perfectly" into Arrow’s long-term growth strategy, said Kendrick.

With the addition of Raiders’ two offices, Arrow will have five locations in North Florida. It has six branches in the southern part of the state. Kendrick said she would eventually like to see Arrow move into Central Florida markets.

Family owned since 1964, Arrow Exterminators is the eighth largest pest and termite control company in the United States, ranked by revenue. It has a fleet of 700 vehicles, 65 service centers and revenues of $100 million. The company services customers in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine. She can be reached at anagro@giemedia.com.