[May News]

NPMA Academy Set for July 17-19 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association announced that the 2008 Academy will be held July 17-19 at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, the Academy is a premier annual event dedicated to motivating and developing the pest management industry’s emerging leaders.

For hotel reservations, call The Phoenician Resort at 480/941-8200 by June 15 to receive the NPMA group rate of $135 per night.

To register for the 2008 Academy, visit www.npmapestworld.org/events. For more information, contact NPMA at npma@pestworld.org.

Bug Off Pest Control Center Presents Green Pest Management Summit

NEW YORK — Bug Off Pest Control Center will present The Green Pest Management Summit, June 19, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Armory, site of the U.S. Track & Field Hall of Fame in New York City.

This forum will bring together a network of cutting-edge professionals eager to access the growing market for green services. The goal is to emphasize the role the pest management industry plays as protectors of health and the environment while making “green” work for companies through increased revenue.

According to Bug Off, the summit will define what green pest management is from a science-based, industry-tested, common-sense point of view and will be presented by Dr. Thomas Green, president of the IPM Institute of North America. Manufacturers will be on hand to highlight their green product lines as well.

Attendees will earn a “Green Pest Management Specialist” designation with insignia. Qualified companies will learn how to receive Green Shield certification from the IPM Institute.

Cost is $85 pre-paid or $120 at the door. Lunch is included and New York recertification credits will be issued.

For more information contact Andy Linares at 212/781-2304 or andy@bugoffpccenter.com.
 
SPC Research: Industry Revenues Down 1.5 Percent in 2007

MENDHAM, N.J. — According to research from Specialty Products Consultants (SPC), the structural pest control industry generated an estimated $6.628 billion in total service revenue in 2007, down 1.5 percent from the prior year. Strong revenue growth from commercial pest services could not offset sluggish residential service revenue and a particularly harsh termite market. The slumping real estate market, coupled with another weak termite swarm season across much of the country, resulted in a 9.2 percent decline in the number of post-construction termite treatments performed this past year. The pre-construction termite treatment market was especially hard hit by the 28.6 percent decline in single-family housing starts in 2007, compared with 2006.

Pest control operators reported an increased incidence of bed bugs in all regions of the country in 2007. In the Northeast region, more than five percent of their total general pest control service revenue was generated from servicing accounts for bed bugs.

Total manufacturer level revenue declined for the second year in a row. Weakness in the housing market, a slowing economy and the expansion of generic product offerings resulted in a disappointing year for most manufacturers and distributors. While beneficial to end-users, no single event put greater downward pressure on market value than the proliferation of post-patent products. While sales of generic pesticide products accounted for just 6.5 percent of the total manufacturer level sales this past year, the negative impact has been tremendous, said Gary Curl, president, SPC, as basic producers were forced to reduce prices and take other measures to hold marketshare.

In addition to providing a quantitative assessment of service revenue and pesticide product usage, the study measured key attributes of leading suppliers to the industry. The impact of the weak housing market, a slowing economy, new active ingredients, generic product sales and the demand for “environmentally friendly” or “green” products are just a few of the competitive forces analyzed in this report. More than 800 owners or managers of pest control companies were personally interviewed for this study.

Founded in 2000, SPC, headquartered in Mendham, N.J., is a market research company dedicated exclusively to the professional specialty pesticide industry.

Southern Mill Creek Products of Ohio Hosts Annual Equipment Show

CLEVELAND — Southern Mill Creek Products (SMCP) of Ohio held its 19th Annual Equipment Show at the distributor’s corporate headquarters in Cleveland, in March.

Every type of equipment SMCP carries was on display inside the company’s warehouse while leading manufacturers displayed their products in the company’s meeting room. Attendees had the opportunity to view hands-on demonstrations from SMCP and manufacturer representatives. Attendees also took advantage of special sales.

Manufacturers participating at the SMCP equipment show included: Atlantic Paste & Glue; BASF; Bayer Environmental Science; Bell Laboratories; B&G Equipment Co.; J.T. Eaton; Liphatech; MGK; Nisus; Paragon; Safeguard; Syngenta Professional Products; Waterbury; Whitmire Micro-Gen and Zoëcon.

SMCP held a similar equipment show the next day in Pittsburgh. — Brad Harbison

NPMA Celebrates National Pest Management Month

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association designated April as National Pest Management Month.

For this year’s celebration, the Professional Pest Management Alliance, the consumer outreach arm of NPMA, developed a program to encourage pest professionals to “give back” to their communities, whether locally or, in some cases, nationally. More and more companies, varying in size from global corporations to locally owned businesses, have placed an emphasis on community service and taken strides to communicate these important initiatives to their employees and their customers, PPMA reports.

In celebration of its 75th anniversary this year, NPMA is providing a starting point for pest professionals to proactively guide them toward contributing to their community’s well being. In developing a list of “75 Ways to Give Back to Your Community,” NPMA offers many ways in which pest control companies can serve their customers outside of the profession and still solidify their role as protectors of public health and property. Whether a pest control company is new to public service or simply looking for a new way to give back, this list provides unique ideas for companies to implement.

Available online at www.npmapestworld.org, the “75 Ways to Give Back” ranges from alliances with well-known non-profit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and World Wildlife Fund, to more grassroots initiatives. For more information visit www.npmapestworld.org.

PestPartners.com from Syngenta Is Now Live

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Now live, the new Syngenta PestPartners program offers pest management professionals a more versatile, points-based rewards program. Pest management professionals can enroll at www.pestpartners.com. As a special bonus, enrollees will receive a 1,000-point bonus just for registering and completing a brief survey. Rewards start at fewer than 1,500 points.

The new PestPartners rewards program was designed to assist members in strengthening and growing their pest management businesses. Points earned can be redeemed for:

• Business-building electronics, office technology and communications tools;
• Market-specific items, such as infrared thermometers and wind meters; 
• Training videos for employees and resource books for management;
• Travel to major industry conferences; and
• Home and personal accessories, sports and recreational items, etc.

“We are making this change in response to the increasing competitive business challenges facing PMPs,” said Pat Willenbrock, senior marketing manager, Syngenta. “They are already experts at pest control, but they also have to be adept at managing complicated business processes, including finances, inventory, customer service and employees.”

UF Research Shows Termite Damage Cuts Insulation Values by 75 Percent

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A new University of Florida study shows termites like to feast on your customers’ home insulation — making it nearly 75 percent less effective.

In tests measuring how termites damage the thermal properties or insulation in homes and other buildings, three types of widely used construction materials — 2-by-4 boards, five-ply plywood and foam board insulation — were exposed to the pest for eight weeks by entomologists at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“All three building construction materials were damaged by termites, but the pest caused more damage to insulation than to either the wooden 2-by-4 or plywood samples,” said Phil Koehler, an entomology professor who supervised the study by graduate student Cynthia Tucker and research associate Roberto Pereira. Their findings were published in the April issue of the journal Sociobiology.

The thermal imaging tests, which measured heat transfer through the three building materials, focused on damage caused by a species of subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes.

Tucker, who is completing work on her doctoral degree in entomology, said they were surprised to find that rigid foam board insulation was most heavily damaged by termites, with 12 percent of the material being removed by termites in eight weeks, causing a 27 percent loss in insulation values.

“Most types of insulation are composed of plastic that’s not a source of food for termites, but the soft texture of insulation allows termites to build extensive tunnels and consume paper that lines the outside surface,” Tucker said. “In fact, the insulation materials are an almost ideal habitat because they protect the pest from cold temperatures.”

She said tests showed that plywood was the most resistant to heat flow, but once termites damaged the plywood, temperature changes were significant. After termites ate just 3.1 percent of the wood, insulation values dropped 74 percent.

When the pest attacked 2-by-4 boards, consuming 6.7 percent of the wood by tunneling along the fibers and within softer spring wood, there was a 35 percent drop in insulation values.

“Until recently, changes in the thermal properties of a structure caused by termites — especially for buildings in areas where temperature extremes require lots of heating or air conditioning — have been overlooked,” Tucker said.

May Declared National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.­­­ — May has been named National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), and Combat-brand pest control helped spread the message. As pest management professionals know, studies have shown that there is a link between cockroach allergen and the exacerbation and even causation of asthma.

“During the past few years, research has shown that cockroach allergens play a big part in the daily lives of asthma sufferers all over the country,” said Gretchen Phillips, a doctor at Fairview Hospitals and a medical show radio host based in Minneapolis.

The link between cockroaches and asthma has been proven in scientific research dating back to the 1970s. Between 78 and 98 percent of urban homes have cockroaches, and 23 to 60 percent of urban residents are allergic to the cockroach allergen, according to the AAFA. Cockroach allergens are so pervasive in homes around the country, most doctors require patients with persistent asthma to be tested for cockroach allergies, in addition to other environmental factors, such as dust mites, mold and pets.

More than 23 million people in the U.S. suffer from asthma, including 6.5 million children.

Around 63 percent of all U.S. households have a detectable level of the cockroach allergen in the home, according to a 2005 study by The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

“Asthma kills. Even in 2008, people die from asthma,” Phillips said. “I always tell my patients that it is easier to prevent problems than to recover from them.”

American Mosquito Control Association Holds 74th Annual Meeting

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) recently wrapped up its 74th Annual Meeting in March in Sparks, Nev.

The meeting, held in March, drew a crowd of nearly 1,000 attendees and featured numerous presentations, exhibits and equipment demonstrations that highlighted the latest science, technology and products used to conduct research and control vectors.

Sessions of particular interest this year included the unveiling of a nationwide West Nile virus awareness program entitled “I’m One”; discussions on the operational side of mosquito control; the potential for the introduction of a second-generation of emerging vector-borne diseases into North America; supplemental mosquito control programs following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; emergency mosquito and mosquito-borne disease control; insect repellent as a public health strategy; and an educational outreach program at the Lincoln Park Elementary School.

More than 1 million people die from mosquito-borne diseases worldwide every year. Since 1999, 27,000 cases of West Nile virus — with nearly 11,000 cases of neuroinvasive disease and 1,000 fatalities — have occurred in the United States.

“This meeting provides an unmatched opportunity to exchange information on current and emerging discoveries, forge new collaborations and identify future opportunities in the field,” said Gene Payne, president of the American Mosquito Control Association. “The AMCA Annual Meeting provides the most comprehensive source of information in the world on vector-borne diseases, mosquito biology, and mosquito control.”

Copesan Adds JP McHale and Viking as New Partners

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Copesan Services has added two new Partners to its network of service providers. JP McHale Pest Management, Buchanan, N.Y., and Viking Termite & Pest Control, Bridgewater, N.J., will join the 70+ Partners already servicing Copesan clients across North America.

“Copesan is pleased to introduce the newest members of our Partner network,” said Deni Naumann, Copesan president. “Each of these companies brings a passion to address our national clients’ pest management needs with quality service, professionalism and enthusiasm.”
Termite, Ant Institutes’

Web Content Available to BASF Partner Sites

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — As a benefit to partners in the pest control industry, BASF now offers its pest management professional customers the opportunity to link their company Web sites to its popular consumer education Web sites, the Termite Institute (www.TermiteInstitute.com) and the Ant Institute (www.AntInstitute.com).

Since their launches in 2006 and 2007, respectively, the Termite Institute and the Ant Institute have helped tens of thousands of visitors learn the basics of pest biology and moved them forward in their decisions to purchase pest management services from BASF Partner companies. Both sites have been updated in 2008 to offer new cutting-edge content and interactive visitor experiences.

“These online institutes are a critical piece of our ongoing commitment to creating consumer demand and developing consumer understanding of the value of professional pest management treatments with BASF products,” said Cynthia Gigandet, senior marketing manager for BASF’s Professional Pest Control group. “Both sites feature a ‘Find a Professional’ ZIP code locator and our Termidor termiticide/insecticide ‘Hot Leads’ program that connects consumers with companies in their area. Now, BASF partners who want to leverage the exceptional content of these sites from their own Web site may do so, free of charge, by linking to special versions of the sites without the ‘Find a Professional’ locator tool. That way, home-owners remain focused on the individual PMP’s company while learning about the overall value of professional ant and termite treatments.”

Partners interested in linking directly from their Web sites to either or both special versions of the Institutes, can do so by establishing a link from their Web site to www.TermiteInstitutePartners.com or www.AntInstitutePartners.com.

The Termite and Ant Institutes underwent comprehensive redesigns in preparation for 2008. In partnership with the University of Florida, the sites allow visitors to follow the daily lives of both eastern subterranean termites and red imported fire ants in real time. High-impact Web cameras capture engaging and up-close snapshots of termites and ants 24 hours a day, seven days a week — simulating a typical home invasion for consumers at the click of a mouse. The Web cameras will join a host of other Institute enhancements designed to capture visitors’ preferences and imaginations throughout both Web site experiences.

Univar Online CEU Courses Receive Alabama Approval

AUSTIN, Texas — Univar USA has been granted CEU approval by the state of Alabama for its online training courses on the Univar Web site, www.pestweb.com.

Alabama has approved the master technician online training courses on PestWeb for continuing education credits or license renewals for branch supervisors and certified applicators in that state. Master technician offers courses in the areas of structural general pests, wood-destroying pests, public health, fumigation, turf and turf pests, as well as CORE courses on pesticides and safety. These are all available for continuing education points for license and certificate holders in Alabama, and can be taken completely online.

With this addition, Univar now has approved online CEU for 32 states.

“We’re very pleased to have received this approval,” said Jeff Smith, e-business content manager for Univar. “We welcome our Alabama pest control industry partners to take these courses online.”

Univar’s online training can be used by licensed or certified applicators who face an imminent deadline for license renewal, and by employers who need to train new employees.

B&G Chemicals & Equipment Company to Host CEU Events

DALLAS — B&G Chemicals & Equipment Company will host a number of events during 2008 where pest management professionals can earn CEUs.

Eight-hour Technician Training courses are Structural Pest Control Service approved, and can be used for recertification or technician testing. All Technician Training courses will take place at the B&G Chemicals facility in each listed city.

Dates for Technician Training courses are:

• Austin, Texas, May 31
• Dallas, Aug. 2
• Houston, Sept. 20

Other CEU Courses, which also are SPCS approved and last six hours, will be held:

• Houston, Sept. 25
• El Paso, Texas, Oct. 2
• Austin, Texas, Oct. 9
• Dallas/Ft. Worth, Oct. 15

For more information, or to register, visit www.bgchem.com, or contact Angeline Cohen at acohen@bgchem.com.