November News

NPMA celebrates 75th anniversary during PestWorld ’08
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — It’s only fitting that this year’s PestWorld conference took place in our nation’s capitol — the site of the first such convention 75 years ago last month.

“We meet today in celebration of 75 years of professionalism, 75 years of networking, 75 years of friendship, 75 years of industry leadership and 75 years of moving the industry forward,” said NPMA Executive Vice President Rob Lederer, who set the tone for this year’s convention, which took place Oct. 22-25 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, in suburban Washington, D.C. Lederer spoke during the opening ceremony, which was sponsored by Bayer Environmental Science.

On Oct. 2, 1933, 50 members of NPMA — which at the time was called the National Association of Exterminators and Fumigators — gathered at the Continental Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Lederer commended the industry’s past presidents, board members and members for their role in shaping the association. In addition, the Pinnacle Award — which normally is presented annually to one individual who has helped shape the pest control industry — instead was presented in honor of the 74 past presidents of the association. Eighteen past presidents were in attendance at PestWorld and were recognized on stage.

“Today, the association has more than 6,000 member companies throughout the world, boasts the world’s largest convention and exposition, year in and year out, and represents nearly every segment of the industry,” Lederer said. “We’ve had a decade of surplus budgets, a dedicated and stable staff, good and growing relationships with state and international associations, and the number of people involved in the association’s various committees and organizations have never been better than they are today.”

Following Lederer’s opening remarks, Bayer Environmental Science presented the 2008 Young Scientist of the Year Awards. Attendees were then treated to a hypnotic and high-energy performance by entertainer/artist Michael Israel, whose paint splashing resulted in a pair of dazzling murals.
Other highlights included the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which preceded exhibit floor hours, where attendees checked out the latest products and services from leading manufacturers.

Cal Ripken Jr. spoke at Thursday’s opening session, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences. Friday’s general session, sponsored by FMC Professional Solutions, brought together two veteran politicos — Bob Beckel, a political consultant and analyst, and John Kasich, an author and former congressman — for a friendly debate. On Friday, had the opportunity to visit the O. Orkin Insect Zoo at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, for a party sponsored by BASF.

In addition to these events, PestWorld 2008 features numerous educational sessions and networking opportunities. For additional coverage of the convention and tradeshow, stay tuned to www.pctonline.com, www.pctonline.tv and the December issue of PCT magazine. — Brad Harbison

Children’s Web site provides educational tools
FAIRFAX, Va. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) recently unveiled its newly redesigned children’s Web site, www.PestWorldForKids.org. The site, developed for students and teachers in kindergarten through 8th grade, has a fresh new look and enhanced educational content, including a report writing center, science fair projects and new teacher lesson plans that support standards developed by the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Originally developed in 2005, PestWorldForKids.org explores pest ecology and pinpoints what attracts the pests from their natural habitats to people’s homes.

“Our children’s site is popular among kids, but it’s also very well-received among educators and parents,” said Jessica Phelan, interim executive director for PPMA. “It is vital to keep our audiences captive — especially among those who use it in the classroom. Our redesign was essential for an updated look and the new content offers innovative ways to learn about pest control, while still being fun and entertaining for the end-user.”

One new feature is the report writing center that includes a downloadable writing manual, giving children a 10-step tutorial on researching and developing written reports. The new science fair section helps students to build and test hypotheses using the scientific method and provides several projects to test these newfound skills.

Teachers also have access to new lesson plans designed to NSTA and NCTE standards in support of curricular subjects, including biology, ecology, environment and health. The lessons aim to bring creativity into the classroom with such assignments as creating Pest PSAs and writing new cases for the interactive game Pest Detective.

Other enhancements include a pest glossary, a comprehensive pest guide, downloadable fact sheets and project PDFs.

Copesan relaunches Web site
Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Copesan recently announced the launch of its new corporate Web site: www.copesan.com.

The site, which includes detailed information about Copesan and its services, is committed to being a resource for the company’s clients and potential clients in the many industries it serves, Copesan reports. The site was developed to showcase Copesan’s pest solutions and to serve as a repository for its technical expertise. In addition, the site’s layout was structured to be user-friendly and easy to navigate.

“The site was designed to inform and support customers; ultimately enabling us to better serve our clients and increase their satisfaction with our services,” said Jon Bain, director of marketing for Copesan. “We are expanding our efforts to make the expertise of Copesan available to the industries we serve.”

One of Copesan’s goals is to highlight and explain its business model. Copesan is an alliance of premier, independent pest management companies, all of whom are known as quality leaders in their region. United together as a single entity, they serve businesses with locations throughout North America.

Copesan.com provides numerous benefits to clients, potential clients and the pest management industry, including:
• Pest Management Resources — The resource section of Copesan.com houses the Pest Library, informative articles, white papers and newsletters, and the opportunity to pose pest-related questions to one of Copesan’s numerous technical experts.
• Google Maps API of all Partner Locations — This feature provides a birds-eye view of Partner locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the ability to zoom in on specific regions and links to individual Partner Web sites. 
“We are excited that the new site clearly communicates the strengths of our organization,” said Deni Naumann, President of Copesan. “Our service Partners are the uniqueness and strength of Copesan, enabling clients to receive the advantage of a consistent national program while at the same time benefiting from local expertise and knowledge.”

Bayer, NPMA announce “Young Scientist” winners, launch virtual job fair
Research Triangle Park, N.C. — Bayer Environmental Science, along with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), at NPMA PestWorld announced the finalists and winner of the third Bayer Environmental Science “Young Scientist of the Year” contest. A panel of university and industry professionals determined the final awards.

• The “Young Scientist of the Year” is Ricky Vazquez, from the University of Florida, whose research focuses on how the nesting and foraging behaviors of Bigheaded Ants and Caribbean Crazy Ants affect the development of super colonies. Mr. Vazquez will receive a $2,500 scholarship and a $10,000 grant to further support his research.

• Finalist Dong-Hwan Choe, from the University of California— Riverside, is researching the necrophoric behavior of the Argentine Ant and it implication on the horizontal transfer of slow-acting insecticides. Mr. Choe will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

• Finalist Nicola Gallagher, from The Ohio State University, is conducting research to understand termite-mediated alteration to food items by the Eastern Subterranean Termite. Ms. Gallagher will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

One thousand dollars will also be donated to the general scholarship funds at these three universities.

“We are thrilled to present these individuals, our future colleagues and the next generation of research talent, to the professional pest management industry,” said Gordon Morrison, Contest Director and Maxforce® Insecticides Market Manager at Bayer ES. “As part of the Backed By Bayer promise, we’re commitment dedicating resources to the academic community in support of these researchers, whose work will help shape the pest management industry’s future.”

The Bayer Environmental Science “Young Scientist of the Year” contest is a scholarship and grant program for graduate students to acknowledge and financially support exceptional research that advances the pest management industry.

Additionally, Bayer and NPMA launched a Virtual Job Fair that showcases curricula vitae and research from the participants in the “Young Scientist of the Year” competition.

The Virtual Job Fair can be accessed by visiting www.npmapestworld.org and clicking on the Bayer “Young Scientist of the Year” logo or banner ad. Visitors will have access to CVs and research from the next generation of technical talent in the pest management industry.

“The research submitted by the contestants this year is exceptional and will help advance our industry as a whole today, tomorrow, and for years to come,” said Gordon Morrison, contest director and Maxforce insecticides market manager at Bayer. “We encourage everyone to take the time to view the brilliant research these graduate students produced. You never know, you quite possibly could find your next technical director.”

Univar PP&S launches new Web site
Austin, Texas — Univar USA recently launched its new Web site, www.univarpps.com. The new site presents the full service offerings of the Univar Professional Products & Services division.

“Although structural pest control is our largest industry segment, the PP&S division offers services, products and equipment to many other industries that use professional grade chemicals,” said Director of Marketing Karl J. Kisner.

“We felt that we needed a site that gives our customers and potential customers an opportunity to see our full service offering so we can do business with them in any of the industries in which we’re both active.”

The site details Univar’s services in structural pest control; public health; turf & ornamental; hay production; animal production and dairy; and post-harvest commodity storage.

Univar also created and maintains www.pestweb.com, which features online CEU training, MSDS and labels, pest and weed ID, online ordering and more. “Like PestWeb, this new site is another tool to help our customers — ‘Succeed Without Worry,’” Kisner said.

NPMA’s MPM awards scholarships to TAMU, PSU students
FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association’s Minorities in Pest Management (MPM) group has selected Chris Swain of Texas A&M University and Alexis Barbarin of Penn State University as the winners of its 2008 MPM Scholarship.

The owner and operator of Premier Pest Control in College Station, Swain is pursuing his master’s degree in urban pest management at TAMU. His research pertains to the sublethal effects of insecticides on subterranean termites and the subsequent impact on the ability of termites to continuously sustain feeding at in-ground bait stations. Swain also works as a research assistant at TAMU’s Center for Urban Entomology.

Barbarin received her undergraduate degree from Xavier University and is pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural extension and education and a doctorate in entomology at Penn State. She has worked closely with Philadelphia pest management professionals. Her primary research focuses on bed bug behavior and management.

“Alexis and Chris are extremely deserving of the MPM Scholarship and MPM is incredibly proud to be able to assist in their education,” said Genma Stringer Holmes, chairwoman of MPM’s steering committee. “It is especially gratifying for MPM to award a scholarship to an actual PMP as well as an individual who overcame the incredible hurdles presented by Hurricane Katrina.”

Chris Sullens promoted to president of Marathon Data Systems
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Chris Sullens has been promoted to president of Marathon Data Systems. In this role, Sullens will take over day-to-day management responsibilities from Mike Ayars, Marathon’s chief executive officer. Ayars will remain with Marathon, working with customers and next-generation products and services.

Sullens joined Marathon Data Systems as chief financial officer in January 2008. He was formerly with ServiceMaster, where he led the online marketing efforts for all of ServiceMaster’s brands as vice president of Internet marketing and retail initiatives.

BASF announces Termidor All-Star Technicians
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — The winners of the 2008 Termidor termiticide-insecticide All-Star Technician program headed to Fort Worth, Texas, on an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2008 Dickies 500 stock car race earlier this month.

This year’s Termidor All-Star Technician team are:
• Gregory Aguirre, Elite Exterminating, Corpus Christi, Texas
• Robert Alexander, Arab Termite and Pest Control, Elkhart, Ind.
• Elvestus Baptiest, Terminix, Carrollton, Texas
• Kathy Beeler, Harbor Pest Control, San Diego
• Darnell Chambers, Massey Services, Orlando, Fla.
• Robert Coltrane, B and B Exterminating Company, Jacksonville, Fla.
• John Dennis, Orkin Pest Control, Taylors, S.C.
• Jim Eckroth, Ehrlich Pest Control, Reading, Pa.
• Willie Lawson, Orkin Inc., Midlothian, Va.
• Adrian Miller, Canady and Son Exterminating, Wilmington, N.C.
• Gene Nelke, Rottler Pest and Lawn Solutions, St. Louis
• James Ramsey, A-Abel Exterminating Co., Dayton, Ohio
• Frank Smith, Viking Termite and Pest Control, Saddlebrook, N.J.
• Kisione Taufa, Western Exterminators, Escondido, Calif.
• Robert Taylor, Shamrock Pest Control, Inc., Mesquite, Texas
• James Young, Orkin Pest Control, Maryville, Tenn.

The Termidor All-Star Technicians were the company’s guests at the Dickies 500 stock car race Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. Winners received airfare, two-night hotel stay, suite accommodations at the race, and recognition at a special awards ceremony to celebrate their personal achievement and contributions to the pest management industry.

“We at BASF look forward to having the opportunity to personally congratulate each of the winners for their outstanding work within the industry,” said Keith Holmes, business manager for BASF. “With over 100 entries received, it was difficult to choose only 16 winners. Every nominee should be very proud of the tremendous effort they put forth on a daily basis.”

Technicians nationwide were nominated by their managers based on their demonstration of key characteristics and winners were chosen by a panel of judges comprised of senior BASF personnel from the marketing, sales, and technical groups.

For additional information about the 2008 Termidor All-Star Technician winners, visit www.pestcontrolfacts.org/allstar.

Massey Services, Chromalox, launch ThermEx heat remediation
ORLANDO, FLA. — Massey Services and Chromalox, a leading manufacturer of precision heat and control products, have recently joined forces to introduce an innovative bed bug remediation solution. The ThermEx program was unveiled at NPMA’s 2008 PestWorld conference last month.

This partnership matches the engineering and design capabilities of Chromalox with the pest management program development and training expertise of Massey Services.

The comprehensive ThermEx treatment package includes a custom heating unit, manufactured by Chromalox, plus sophisticated technical training provided by Massey Services, the companies report.

“We have focused on the development of a complete bed bug treatment for hotels and multi-unit housing to resolve the ongoing bed bug problem,” said Tom Jarzynka, technical and training director for Massey Services PrevenTech Commercial Pest Prevention division. “Our strategic partnership places both companies in a unique position to serve both the pest management industry and residential, hospitality and health care property owners/managers.”

For more than 90 years, Chromalox has manufactured electric heat and control products, including heating components, immersion heaters, circulation systems, heat transfer systems, boilers, industrial and comfort air heating, heat trace cables, sensors and precision electronic controls. With multiple manufacturing, engineering, warehousing and sales locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Chromalox is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Target associates send care package to Marines in Fallujah, Iraq
SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. — First Lt. Ian Plummer of the U.S. Marine Corps and 74 of his fellow Marines received a 4th of July care package from the associates and friends of Target Specialty Products. Plummer and his unit shipped off for Fallujah in March and are due to return home this month.

The care package included a Hoppe’s BoreSnake gun cleaner, Oakley sunglasses, socks, beef jerky, trail mix and mixed nuts for each Marine.
Target began sending care packages to U.S. servicemen and women in 2006.

The first donation was coordinated through a service called My Soldier. Since then, four other shipments have been distributed to more than 200 service men and women representing the U.S. Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. Target has raised more than $13,000 dollars in donations from Target associates, suppliers, customers and friends. Target matches the donations dollar for dollar.

“We truly appreciate the generosity of individuals and organizations that continue to contribute to our adopt-a-platoon care packages,” said Target President Lon Records. “When we first started the program, we envisioned it as an internal program, but as customers and suppliers have learned of the care packages, they have asked to be included, and we welcome their contributions.”

Target learned of Plummer’s service through his father, Steven Plummer, a customer and general manager of Tustin Ranch Golf Club in Tustin, Calif.

Arrow Exterminators Installs 100,000th Sentricon System
WOODSTOCK, Ga. — The team at Arrow Exterminators, Atlanta, recently completed its 100,000th installation of the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System. The company is one of the first Authorized Operators of the Sentricon System to reach this milestone.

“We love the Sentricon System, because it allows us an opportunity to communicate with our customers on a regular basis,” said Jeff Singley, executive vice president of Arrow Exterminators. “We’re proud to say our customer retention has never been better and our termite reinfestation rate is at an all-time low.”

Representatives from Dow AgroSciences recently recognized the achievement during a Partner Appreciation dinner held at Arrow Exterminators’ National Training Center in Woodstock, Ga. Dave Morris, commercial leader, U.S. Urban Pest Management, and Mike Lind, district sales manager for Dow AgroSciences, presented a plaque honoring the accomplishment to Singley, along with Joe Thomas, chairman and CEO of Arrow Exterminators.

“We are thankful to have extraordinary partners like Arrow Exterminators,” Morris said. “Ongoing improvements to our portfolio of products have only been possible through our relationship with companies like Arrow Exterminators — companies that are willing to explore new potentials and possibilities and that truly stand behind our brands.”

Entomological Society of America names 2008 award winners
LANHAM, Md. — The Entomological Society of America (ESA) announced the winners of its 2008 awards. The Society’s professional awards will be presented at the group’s annual meeting in Reno, Nev., this month.

Professional award winners are:
• Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension — Dr. Frederick P. Baxendale, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

• Distinguished Achievement Award in Horticultural Entomology — Dr. Ronald D. Oetting, professor emeritus with the University of Georgia.

• Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching — Dr. Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, associate professor of entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Distinguished Service Award to the Certification Program — Dr. Scott H. Hutchins, global director for crop protection research and development, Dow AgroSciences.

• Early Career Innovation Award — Dr. Consuelo M. De Moraes, associate professor in the Department of Entomology at Penn State University.

• Recognition Award in Entomology — Dr. Douglas A. Landis, professor of entomology, Michigan State University

• Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry, & Toxicology — Dr. Walter S. Leal, professor and former chair of the Department of Entomology at the University of California-Davis.

Student award winners are:

• Student Activity Award — David R. Coyle, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Student Certification Award — Preston Brown, master’s degree student at Virginia Tech

• John Henry Comstock Graduate Student Awards — Dr. Jessica L. Ware, Rutgers University; Dr. Jeffrey D. Bradshaw, Iowa State University; Dr. Christopher M. Barker, UC-Davis; Dr. Amit Sethi, University of Florida; Robert Puckett, Texas A&M University

NPMA launches QualityPro Canada
FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association announced that QualityPro, the pest management industry’s certification program, now is available to all member companies of the Canadian Pest Management Association. QualityPro Canada was developed to raise the bar for pest management professionals, while providing a comprehensive toolbox and marketing materials developed specifically for the pest management industry.
Similar to the U.S. program, QualityPro Canada offers companies a way to differentiate themselves from the competition. According to Rob Lederer, executive vice president of NPMA, “Due to similar regulations, our close relationship with the CPMA and comparable markets, we were able to expand QualityPro to those pest management companies operating in Canada.

This program has provided great tools to members in the United States, and we will now be able to share those with our members in Canada.”
QualityPro Canada sets broad standards in business operations, environmental stewardship, consumer relations and testing and training. A company must meet qualifications in these four areas before they are eligible to receive the QualityPro Canada designation. “A rising tide lifts all ships, and it is my belief that QualityPro Canada will be the impetus for us to raise the bar for those in the Canadian pest management industry,” said Randy Hobbs, president of CPMA.

For more information about QualityPro Canada, including a program application, call 800/678-6722 or visit www.pestworldcanada.net.

ICUP addresses vector-borne diseases and bed bugs
BUDAPEST, Hungary — The 6th International Conference on Urban Pests (ICUP) held July 13-162008 proved to be a truly worldwide event. More than 220 delegates attended representing 36 countries from all corners of the globe.

In total, delegates could attend 68 papers, 25 posters, three workshops and mingle with delegates.

Situated in the very heart of Europe, the choice of Budapest was ideal: This capital city lays claim to two of the largest rat and cockroach control programs ever undertaken plus. And, as Dr. Dániel Bajomi, chairman of the organizing committee, reminded delegates: “It was in Budapest in 1974 that the rodenticide wax block was invented and started to be manufactured on a commercial scale.”

While rodents remain a key urban pest, two current hot topics demanded center stage at the event — namely vector-borne diseases and bed bugs.
Opening the conference, Dr. Evelyn Depoortere from the recently established European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) based in Stockholm, Sweden, explained that the climate and environmental changes being predicted by experts will alter the risk to Europe from vector borne diseases.

“We are likely to see the spread of diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis and West Nile fever in places where they have not been seen before,” Depoortere said.

Globalization, and the increased travel and trade that it brings, is also quickening the pace at which diseases can spread to new areas. An example of this is the international spread of the Aedes albopictus mosquito (also known as the Asian Tiger mosquito), which has been responsible for outbreaks of the disease chikungunya fever. This species has spread from Asia to Africa, the Americas and now to some parts of Europe, including most of Italy. In the summer of 2007, a traveler from India introduced chikungunya fever to the mosquitoes in the area of Ravenna, Italy, and there was an outbreak affecting nearly 250 people.

Jonathan Peck, Killgerm Chemicals, but here representing the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) from London, highlighted the challenges facing the environmental health industry — notably climate change, urban sprawl and changes in people’s living habits, particularly the problems caused by international travel.

Peck announced the publication of Public Health Significance of Urban Pests, from the World Health Organization.

The increased level of international travel was also highlighted as one of the primary causes of the now world-wide problem with bed bugs. Presentations from three continents reiterated an all-too-familiar scenario — what has caused this global outbreak and how can control be achieved? Loss of available insecticide products due to withdrawals caused by regulatory issues was detailed, coupled with a high level of resistance to most of those products that do remain. A whole barrage of alternative control methods has sprung up, particularly within the consumer sector, but the scientific efficacy of some of these was felt to be highly dubious.

 On a positive note, Dr. Reiner Pospischil from Bayer CropScience, Monheim Germany, revealed that products to which resistance exists may, when used separately, nonetheless produce good efficacy when tank-mixed.
Deltamethrin combined with natural pyrethrins plus the synergist piperonyl butoxide was one example. Work at Sheffield University by Richard Naylor using the juvenile hormone analogue (S)-methoprene had produced good results. Better known for its activity with Pharaoh ants, this IGR offers a way forward. Recognizing the length of time it requires to achieve control, its use combined with a residual spray, such as bendiocarb, proved a talking point, especially as the IGR may heighten bed bug susceptibility to the conventional insecticide.

Although laboratory efficacy of these mixtures is encouraging, the need for registration means that their commercial availability is still some way off.
More radical methods were also presented. Notably the introduction of bed bug detection dogs or a “whole block” fumigation treatment with sulfuryl fluoride as presented by Dr. Dini Miller, a professor from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

The 7th ICUP will be held in Brazil in 2011. — Frances McKim, Active Solutions.

Penn State program teaches IPM to childcare providers
PHILADELPHIA — A Penn State collaborative in Philadelphia is helping Latino childcare providers understand pest management issues in their childcare programs and implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches. The goal of the project is to more effectively control pests and reduce the risks of pest and pesticide exposures to young children.
Funded in part by a Northeastern IPM Center mini-grant to the Preschool Project in Philadelphia, the project relies heavily on developing targeted training materials about IPM in Spanish.

Recent studies indicate both pests and pesticides can cause and aggravate asthma and other health issues, especially in children. Inner-city residents are especially at risk for these problems from multiple sources of environmental pollutants and toxins. Particularly in urban areas, young children spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, either at home or in childcare. Indoor air quality is severely impacted by high pest populations and repeated use of pesticides that leave chemical residues. After educating caregivers about these risks and safer solutions, new approaches and steps can be implemented to reduce risk of exposure in this setting.

According to Lyn Garling, project partner and manager of programs for the Pennsylvania IPM program, the Spanish-speaking population in the United States is growing by 12 percent per year. “In Philadelphia, this trend also holds true,” Garling said. “The Mexican community in particular is growing rapidly and the population is proportionally young, with many children living in substandard housing conditions in low-income households.

“Asthma can be caused or aggravated by pests and pesticides, with young children under five being the most at-risk. As in many cities, asthma incidence data for Philadelphia show that the Hispanic community suffers the highest rate of asthma of any group. Despite this, very few IPM resources and outreach efforts have been developed for Spanish-speaking urban populations,” Garling said.

PA IPM’s Philadelphia School and Community IPM Partnership (PSCIP) is helping to change that by building upon the IPM outreach efforts of the Penn State Philadelphia Outreach Center. By partnering with The Preschool Project in Philadelphia, the group is spreading the IPM message to Latino families through daycares in targeted Philadelphia neighborhoods.

With the help of bilingual consultant Cynthia Kreilick, The Preschool Project and PSCIP have developed four IPM training modules in English and Spanish for community educators and childcare providers serving the Latino community. Topics of the modules include children’s health and pest issues, pesticides and alternatives, developing an IPM program for childcare facilities, and how to create a safe pest-free environment.

For more information on PSCIP, visit www.pscip.org.

PestEx 2009 set for April 22-23 in London
LONDON — Following the success of PestEx 2007 with exhibitors and visitors alike, PestEx 2009, organized by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), is returning to ExCel.

New for PestEx 2009 is an area of the exhibition hall to be set aside as a practical demonstration area. The message here is practicality: Demonstrations will be available and delegates will be invited to try for themselves some of the latest equipment.

The layout of the exhibition is designed to accommodate all types of exhibitor, as the stand sizes consist of a mixture of large and small units. A lounge area, which includes tables and chairs, will be WiFi-enabled so exhibitors and visitors can catch-up on their e-mails and hold small, informal meetings.

PestEx events are truly international affairs. At PestEx 2007, visitors came from such countries as Mexico, India, Jordan, Nigeria, the United States, Australia and Japan. As an added draw, in 2009 the European Pest Management Industry Association (CEPA) will hold Europest the day before PestEx 2009.

The majority of attendees represent the private pest control sector of the market, with representation from local authorities, facility managers, consultants and researchers.

“With such a large number of visitors coming from abroad, PestEx 2009 can justifiably live up to its claim as the largest exhibition of its type within Europe,” said Oliver Madge, BPCA chief executive officer.

Situated in the heart of the fashionable London docklands area, ExCel will be a key location for the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games. The purpose-built facilities, which were opened in 2000, lie in a waterside location with an array of hotels, bars and restaurants on site.

For more information, visit www.pestex.org, or contact Frances McKim, Active Solutions, at +44 (0) 1509 233219 or e-mail: frances@activesolutions.uk.com.