The UK pest control industry was out in force at PestTech 2009, held at the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham, UK, on Nov, 4.
Editor’s note: Frances McKim of Pest magazine provided PCT with following report from PestTech 2009, held at the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham, UK, on Nov, 4.
The UK pest control industry was out in force at PestTech 2009, held at the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham, UK, on Nov, 4. The National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), organizers of PestTech 2009, enhanced this year’s program with several programming additions. NPTA estimate that well over 1,400 visitors attended. As soon as the doors opened, visitors flooded into the exhibition halls. Demand for information was high and if the supply of free gifts is anything to go by, virtually all exhibitors had exhausted their supplies by lunch-time.
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PestTech, organised by NPTA, proved very popular
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Rod Bell (right) of DuPont had only just arrived from PestWorld
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Unichem from Slovenia were first-time exhibitors
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The practical outdoor events proved highly popular. Steve Caple demonstrates setting mole traps.
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The exhibition, with over 50 exhibitors, still remains the heart of PestTech. Judging by the number of new exhibitors, innovation remains strong among industry manufacturers. There were at least six companies present for the first time – including UniChem, which travelled all the way from Slovenia. Several exhibitors who had just returned from attending PestWorld 2009 in Las Vegas were in attendance. Falling into this category were representatives from DuPont, who used this event as the first opportunity to reveal Advion to the European market.
Since its launch in 1993, PestTech has expanded every year, and this year is no exception. As last year the practical demonstrations held outside the museum proved highly popular. Long netting, trapping and snaring of wildlife pests were once again covered, and added this year was a session presented by Envirohawks covering hawks in pest control.
Also new this year were three technical workshops all covering tasks encountered by a pest controller in the course of their everyday work – equipment maintenance, waste management and risk assessments. Again similar to PestWorld, manufacturers were given the opportunity of a 15-minute talk to feature their new products. The event was rounded off by a networking session organized by the recently launched UK branch of the Professional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) group.