KNARESBOROUGH, United Kingdom — The directors of Pelsis Holdings (UK) Ltd and Curtis Gilmour announced the two companies will merge. The companies say the activities of the two companies are highly complementary to one another and together give access to a broader range of customers and geographies.

The existing shareholders of each company — LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, in the case of Pelsis, and Harwood Capital in the case of Curtis Gilmour — have maintained their respective investments in the new holding company, which officials say reinforces the commitment of both investors to the future of the business.

Pelsis has leading brands in both the professional and consumer pest control categories such as Network bird control and Edialux, one of the largest consumer brands in Western Europe.

Curtis Gilmour’s brands include B&G Equipment, Curtis Dyna-Fog and the Agrisense and Silvandersson trapping and monitoring brands.

The consolidated portfolio will be led by Pelsis Group CEO Peter Mangion and will continue to operate from its current facilities in the United States and Europe. There is no plan to change the companies’ distribution and sales representative networks, officials say.

“The bringing together of these great brands creates a compelling offer to customers large and small across the USA and Europe, an offer which covers the full needs of the professional pest controller as well as the end consumer,” Mangion said. “The enlarged brand portfolio is made up of some of the world’s leading brands which have been built over years on investment in technology, quality and performance.

“Our collective team is made up of highly experienced people who together form a formidable force in the global pest control market, and we are very much looking forward to continuing to serve our customers with our unique offer and approach to helping solve pest control problems whenever, and wherever they occur.”

“Our history with Pelsis dates to better than a decade ago when P+L Systems was a subsidiary undertaking of one of Harwood’s portfolio companies,” said Curtis Gilmour Executive Chairman and Harwood Operational Adviser Carl Contadini. “The combining of these two companies into an enlarged group, and our reunion with Pelsis, settles an ambition we have pressed since we formed Curtis five years ago.”

NCSU Research: Simple Cockroach Control Lowers Respiratory Health Risks

RALEIGH, N.C. — When it comes to understanding and lowering the risk that cockroaches pose to urban children’s health, a North Carolina State University entomologist and a Tulane University epidemiologist are making substantial strides.

Coby Schal, the Blanton J. Whitmire Distinguished Professor of Entomology at N.C. State, and Felicia Rabito, an associate professor of epidemiology in Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, have collaborated since 2011 to understand the role of cockroaches on the quality of homes in the inner city and their link to asthma in low-income children.

Through recent randomized, controlled experiments in low-income housing in Raleigh, N.C., and New Orleans, Schal and Rabito wanted to see if eliminating cockroaches with targeted insecticidal treatments would improve asthma outcomes.

The research showed promising results: Children in homes that used simple, inexpensive insecticidal baits had fewer asthma symptoms, used health-care services less and improved their lung function.

The researchers reported that the findings raise the possibility that inexpensive cockroach control could replace the more complex pest management strategies that are currently recommended.

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson recently recognized the impact of this long-running research, education and outreach programs, bestowing on Schal and Rabito the 2018 HUD Secretary’s Award for Healthy Homes for research innovation.

The two researchers were honored by HUD and the National Environmental Health Association in late June at the Healthy Homes Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

In notifying the researchers about their award, Carson explained that the award “recognizes programs that demonstrate overall excellence in terms of healthy indoor environments in response to both the needs and constraints of affordable housing.”

Source: NC State News

Thrasher Termite & Pest Uncovers Formosan Termites in La Mesa (Calif.)

LA MESA, Calif. — Mike Edelen, a WDO inspector at Thrasher Termite & Pest Control of So Cal. in San Diego, Calif., recently discovered a new colony of Formosan subterranean termites in La Mesa, half a mile from the original 1992 outbreak of the invasive species. Formosan termites were last seen in La Mesa in 1998. Conclusive identification of Formosan termites was made by Thrasher Termite & Pest Control in cooperation with the San Diego County Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostics Division in Sacramento, Calif.

“It was clearly evident that these termites did not behave like native subterranean termites,” said Garrett Thrasher, owner and general manager of Thrasher Termite & Pest Control. The homeowner first noticed a potential problem when a cloud of winged insects swarmed their yard at twilight. Those winged insects turned out to be sexually mature Formosan subterranean termites seeking mates.

“By the time we were called to the property, most of the termite reproductives were caught in spider webs, dead or had disappeared. But we found a live, robust colony in the structure of the home,” said Thrasher. “Unlike native subterranean termites, the termites we observed were extremely active, didn’t flee when disturbed and the soldiers went into attack mode. They had hollowed out large areas of structural wood, always staying just beneath the exterior paint and unnoticed by the homeowner. All of these behaviors, in addition to size and coloration of the reproductives, led us to suspect Formosan termites. Unhappily, we were correct.”

Formosan subterranean termites were last seen in La Mesa 20 years ago.

Geotech Supply Opens Southern California location

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Geotech Supply announced the grand opening of its new location at 1244 N. La Loma Circle, Anaheim, Calif. Ian Rowsby and Mike Dougherty will have overall sales responsibility for the warehouse and Southern California territory. Call 888/247-2996 for additional information.

QualityPro Awarded Grant From National Center For Healthy Housing

FAIRFAX, Va. — NPMA’s QualityPro program recently announced that it was named the recipient of a $7,500 Healthy Homes Workforce Development Mini-Grant through a contract between the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH). The grant will help fund the development of QualityPro’s newly introduced public health service certification program.

“We are grateful to the National Center for Healthy Housing and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their generous support and for seeing the value in helping to create these new credentials. The public health certifications will give pest management professionals a unique opportunity to distinguish their services that protect against mosquitoes, rodents and other pests that threaten public health,” said Allison Allen, B.C.E., executive director of QualityPro. “Many pest control professionals are seeking credible resources to prove their professionalism when it comes to creating healthier, pest-free environments for their customers, and the public health service certifications will do just that.”

NCHH awarded 10 mini-grants of $7,500 each to organizations in California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. The funding aims to help communities incorporate healthy homes activities into their health-care policies and build a pool of knowledgeable and reliable community health workers (CHWs) trained in the healthy homes principles.

Governments, educational institutions, public housing, non-profits and tribal communities were all eligible to submit a proposal. This is NCHH’s second year offering grants for workforce development.

To learn more about QualityPro or to apply for accreditation, visit www.npmaqualitypro.org.

Claudia Riegel Announced as NCPMA PCT School Speaker

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Pest Management Association (NCPMA) announced that Claudia Riegel, director of the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, has been added as a presenter about rodent control at the 2019 Pest Control Technician’s School.

Riegel became principal research entomologist for the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board in 2004 and now serves as the department director. She provides technical support for the City of New Orleans and the pest control industry; conducts independent research; collaborates with industry for enhancements of existing products and testing of new products; and collaborates with government organizations and universities on a variety of research projects involving rodents, mosquitoes, termites and a variety of other urban pests.

Registration for the NCPMA PCT School is now open. To register, visit the NCPMA website.

Now in its 69th year, the NCPMA PCT School will be held January Jan. 27-31, 2019, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham. In 2018, it attracted nearly 1,000 pest management technicians from across the state, making it one of the largest gatherings of its kind in the country, officials said.

Valent BioSciences, ADAPCO Form Strategic Partnership in Public Health

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. — Valent BioSciences (VBC) announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with ADAPCO, the world’s largest distributor of products to the professional mosquito control industry. As part of the agreement, ADAPCO will become the exclusive distributor of VBC’s biological-based mosquito control technologies in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands.

“This partnership creates an exciting future for VBC’s Public Health business, its customers, and the people we protect,” said Steve Krause, global business director for VBC’s public health and forestry businesses. “We operate in a highly technical industry, and ADAPCO’s proven history of excellence in the design and operation of equipment, field support, customer service and the handling of our solutions made it a clear choice going forward.”

Steve Burt, managing director, Specialty Ag/Hort, Azelis Americas, said, “We are excited to foster a new era of vector control and mosquito suppression. This alignment of industry-leading teams — Valent Biosciences’ leadership in the space of biorational larvicides, together with ADAPCO’s field and application expertise — will usher in a transformational future for vector control in these regions.”

Greg Clendenin Founds Clendenin Consulting Group

ORLANDO, Fla. — Industry veteran Greg Clendenin has started The Clendenin Consulting Group after 39 years of ownership and senior-level management in the lawn and pest control industries.

The Clendenin Consulting Group (www.theclendeninconsultinggroup.com) is helping privately owned businesses prepare their company for the market and connect them with the right buyer. The firm also is assisting companies in developing their economic and market value and to get a fresh perspective on the issues of growth, leadership, efficiencies, culture and marketing, the company says.

Clendenin’s industry involvement has included being a:

• NPMA board member
• Crown Leadership Award winner
• Board member and past chairman of NPMA QualityPro
• Past Chairman of National Lawn Care Committee and National Pest Manage- ment Association (NPMA)
• Speaker at industry meetings and con- ferences

Woodstream Announces New Headquarters

LITITZ, Pa. — Woodstream Corporation announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Lititz, Pa., to Lancaster, Pa.

Woodstream will maintain its factory in Lititz, with more than 180 employees, and re-purpose its current headquarters building into a warehouse, laboratory and planogram center to support its growing operations and new product development.

Woodstream will occupy four floors and 47,000 square feet in the new location, where it will relocate approximately 180 employees. The move is expected to be complete in March 2019.

Woodstream also has operations in Knoxville, Tenn.; Mechanicsburg, Pa.; St. Joseph, Mo.; Brampton, Ontario, Canada; Oakham, England; and Shenzhen, China.

Bayer Completes Monsanto Acquisition

LEVERKUSEN, Germany — Bayer completed the biggest acquisition in its history in the second quarter of 2018, while operational performance improved, even without taking into account the newly acquired Monsanto business, the company reported. Sales advanced at three of the four segments on a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis.

“We are on track to achieve our annual targets,” said Werner Baumann, chairman of the board of management, when he presented the interim report in September. EBITDA before special items increased thanks to growth at Crop Science and Animal Health. Bayer has adjusted its Group outlook to account for the sales and earnings contributions from Monsanto from the date of the acquisition. The company aims to pay out a dividend per share for 2018 that is at least at the same level as in the prior year, the company said.

Bayer completed the acquisition of Monsanto on June 7 for $63 billion including debt. “The acquisition of Monsanto brings together two strong and highly complementary businesses: Bayer’s innovative chemical and biological crop protection portfolio and Monsanto’s exceptional expertise in the field of seeds and traits,” said Baumann. “We are now a leader in the agricultural industry with a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability — for the benefit of our customers and society,” he added.

Univar Launches Global Digital Hub

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — Univar launched a new global digital hub at an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Warrenville (Ill.) facility. Featuring an innovative work space with more than 100 digital experts, the facility focuses on developing a variety of industry-leading and transformational digital solutions, the company says. The announcement of this new facility coincides with the inaugural Digital Day event for Univar’s supplier partners that was held on Aug. 2. With the theme of “Collaborate, Innovate, Grow,” the event was attended by more than 80 supplier partners and showcased how Univar’s new state-of-the-art Global Digital Hub is enabling solutions to enhance and differentiate the customer experience, to improve market reach and accelerate growth, and to create a superior partnership experience for suppliers, the company said.

The launch of the Global Digital Hub also marks another step in Univar’s digital transformation. Univar says the company continues its journey to be the number one destination for digital content and commerce in its space. Recent market research shows that the majority of a customer’s buying journey is now in a digital environment, and Univar is well positioned to support customers as they seek information, select products, make purchases and manage their business online, Univar reports.

“Our supplier partners understand how digital is reshaping the customer experience,” said Ian Gresham, chief marketing officer for Univar. “Increasingly B2B customers prefer self-serve purchasing options, and the simplicity of many B2C customer experiences is influencing B2B customer expectations. Digital marketplace leadership is core to Univar’s long-term strategy, and we are excited to partner with our suppliers to collaborate, innovate, and grow together through a variety of digital solutions.”

Through an omni-channel approach, Univar looks to capture demand faster and more efficiently through its suite of digital capabilities. Of particular interest to the pest management industry is PestWeb. PestWeb connects customers with pest control experts through an online community focused on offering unique solutions through a suite of products. With a broader view of pest management, PestWeb connects certified entomologists and agronomists to salespeople with a range of industry experience and offers customers access to industry veterans.

“Our digital capabilities allow the customer to search, source and self-serve anytime and from anywhere, which streamlines the buying journey and creates a digitized end-to-end supply chain,” said David Jukes, president and CEO of Univar. “Whether customers are learning about new technologies, finding the right product configuration or buying through convenient purchase channels, Univar’s digital solutions make us easy to do business with.”

Dwyer Group Acquires Mosquito Joe

WACO, Texas — Dwyer Franchising/Dwyer Group, one of the world’s largest parent companies of home service brands, announced the acquisition of Mosquito Joe, a franchisor in the mosquito control services industry based in Virginia Beach, Va. This event marks the first acquisition for Dwyer Group since announcing Harvest Partners as its new private equity partner. The acquisition also launches the beginning of a new era of growth for Dwyer Group, the company says, now with nearly 3,300 franchisees and 825 associates across nine countries.

“Mosquito Joe’s rally cry is ‘Outside is fun again,’ and we think their service combined with their professionalism and high customer satisfaction marks are the perfect fit for Dwyer Group and our Neighborly offering,” said Mike Bidwell, president and CEO of Dwyer Group. “Mosquito Joe is a market leader in this space, and we look forward to continuing to support its growth.”

Mosquito Joe is a rapidly growing company in the mosquito control services industry, with 288 active territories across 34 states and the District of Columbia and expansion opportunities to the western United States, Canada and beyond. The Mosquito Joe brand is known for its reliability and exceptional service, making its addition to Dwyer Group’s Neighborly brands a seamless transition, the company says.

“We are delighted to join one of the most powerful organizations in the industry,” said Lou Schager, president, Mosquito Joe. “Our franchise network and customers will benefit from Dwyer Group’s vast expertise and extensive resources in the service trades, enabling us to further our expansion.”

American Vanguard Corporation (AMVAC), based in Newport Beach, Calif., announced Peter Eilers as the new managing director of its wholly owned subsidiary AMVAC Netherlands B.V. Eilers will be responsible for AMVAC’s international business.

Athens, Ga.-based American Pest Control employees Andy Deutsch and Amber Puckett participated as skydivers in Big Jump, an event held each year by Extra Special People — a non-profit organization in Watkinsville, Ga. — to raise funds for people of all ability levels to attend camps and programs throughout the year. Deutsch and Puckett raised $1,225 for Extra Special People’s programming, and that amount was matched by American Pest Control for a total donation of $2,450.

Nisus Corporation, Knoxville, Tenn., recently made several personnel announcements. Linde Mills joined the Nisus team as public relations and social media coordinator. Dr. Jeff Lloyd has been named to the position of senior vice president of innovation and sustainability. He joined Nisus in November 2001 and has been responsible for research and development as well as opening new global markets. Jamey Gaston was named vice president of research and technology. Gaston will be responsible for building a best practice innovative program from ideation to new product development.

Tim Clowney, operations manager at Green Pest Solutions in West Chester, Pa., was honored with a Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The Patriot Award is given to those that exemplify above and beyond support of employees serving in the National Guard or Army Reserve. Twenty-four members of the Green Pest Solutions team were there to witness Clowney receive his award from ESGR.

J.T. Eaton announced Joe Smith joined the firm’s Pest Control Division as the southeastern sales representative. His territory includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Flagstaff, Ariz.-based SenesTech added four seasoned industry professionals to their national sales team: Melinda Baker, who will cover the western United States sales region; Doug Mills, who will be leading SenesTech’s East Coast sales region; and Brian and Nic Woolstenhulme, who will lead the northwest sales region.

Environmental Pest Service (EPS), Tampa, Fla., hired J.R. Baldwin as director of information technology (IT). He brings more than 15 years of experience delivering IT infrastructure to businesses across a wide range of industries.

Bird-B-Gone added Kristen Stokes Hensley as director of operations and marketing. Hensley is responsible for leading strategies and key business operations to sustain Bird-B-Gone’s growth, while also managing and the company’s worldwide marketing program.

Charles and James Haggerty retired from American Pest Control of Hanna City, Ill., after 61 years of service in the pest control industry. Distributor and manufacturer representatives, as well as employees and local friends, joined them in a brunch buffet and open house. The Haggertys are confident that they left American Pest Control in good position for growth and prosperity in the coming years and look forward to their retirement adventures.

Nov. 27-29: NPMA’s Global Bed Bug Summit, sponsored by BedBug Central, Sheraton Denver Downtown, Denver, Colo. Contact: NPMA, 703/352-6762 or visit www.npmapestworld.org.

Nov. 28: PCT’s Rodent Virtual Conference. Visit: http://rodentcontrol.pctonline.com.

Dec. 3-5: Kansas Pest Control Association and Missouri Pest Management Association Joint Conference & Exhibition, Stoney Creek Conference Center, Independence, Mo. Visit: www.kpcapestworld.com

Dec. 4-7: Coalmarch’s CO₂ meeting, Raleigh, N.C. Visit: www.coalmarch.com/co2.

Dec. 20: Insect-O-Cutor’s “All About Insect Light Traps” Third Thursday Educational Seminars, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Atlanta area). Contact: 770/939-2835.

Jan. 7-9: Purdue Pest Management Conference 2019, West Lafayette, Ind. Visit: http://www.extension.entm.purdue.edu/urban/Urban_Info/pestcontrol.html.

Jan. 9-11: Texas A&M Pest Management Conference and Workshop, Bryan, Texas. Visit: https://pcoconference.tamu.edu/.

Jan. 17: Insect-O-Cutor’s “All About Insect Light Traps” Third Thursday Educational Seminars, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Atlanta area). Contact: 770/939-2835.

Jan. 24-25: NPMA Eastern Conference, Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, Pocono Manor, Pa. Contact: See Nov. 27.

Jan. 27-31: North Carolina Pest Management Association’s 2019 Pest Control Technician’s (PCT) School, Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center, Durham, N.C. Visit: www.ncpestmanagement.org.

Feb. 5-6: NPMA Southern Conference, Hilton Memphis, Memphis, Tenn. Contact: See Nov. 27.

Smith Exterminating Company in Raleigh, N.C., is celebrating 50 years of service. The company, which has roughly 10,000 customers and more than 40 employees, has experienced steady growth over the years, with annual revenues reaching more than $3 million in 2017.

The following companies achieved NPMA’s QualityPro designation:

• Integrity Pest Management, Fallon, Nev.
• Harris Pest Control, Effingham, S.C.
• Zip Zap Termite & Pest Control, Pleasant Valley, Mo.
• Truly Nolen Pest Control, Canal Winchester, Ohio
• Beach Pest Control Service, New York City
• Spearhead Pest Control, Ventura, Calif.
• Total Extermination, Englewood, N.J.

Additionally, Prosite Pest Control, Ellensburg, Wash., is now offering QualityPro Schools Certified and QualityPro Food Safety Certified services. Also, Total Extermination, Englewood, N.J., is offering GreenPro Certified service.

Enviro-Care Pest & Termite Control recently acquired Garden Grove, Calif.-based operation Arco Pest Control. Arco was founded by Dick Wenzil, who still owned the company at the time of the sale. Enviro-Care Pest & Termite Control was purchased in 2014 by longtime Villa Park, Calif., resident and entrepreneur Ed Carter.

BHB Pest Elimination, based in New York, created a separate company for its New Jersey and Pennsylvania operations. Long-time Director of Operations Andy Nieves will take on ownership of the new company.

Active Pest Control, a McDonough, Ga.-based operation, has been named one of Atlanta’s “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” by the National Association for Business Resources. Active Pest Control has branches throughout Georgia and Texas.

Capitol Pest, Bethesda, Md.; Rose Pest Solutions, Troy, Mich.; and ChemTec Pest Control, Saddle Brook, N.J.; earned the home service industry’s Angie’s List Super Service Award (SSA). This award honors service professionals that maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews on Angie’s List in 2017. This is the fifth consecutive win for Capitol and the sixth year for Rose Pest Solutions.