Rollins, Inc., Acquires Crane Pest Control

ATLANTA and SAN FRANCISCO — Rollins, Inc., the parent company of Orkin, has completed its acquisition of Crane Pest Control.

Crane Pest Control was established in 1930 in San Francisco. The company ranked No. 50 on PCT's 2008 Top 100 list, and has annual revenues exceeding $10 million. CEO Harold Stein told PCT that Crane Pest Control has seen 7 percent growth in recent years, but he chose to sell the company as a way to ensure its future success.

“I have a wonderful team…Crane is as much about them as it is about me. But the truth is, we are all getting long in the tooth, and I would like to see out particular concepts and philosophy, work ethic, etc., continue to the extent that it can,” Stein said. “Everyone who is a responsible businessman, and has a family, has a responsibility to be sure that everything is left neat and in place as best as can be. I think there was that question about what is going to happen to Crane when I reach that stage where I am no longer going to be running the company either voluntarily or involuntarily, and I think that question was on the minds of my (employees).”

Crane services Northern California and the Reno/Tahoe Basin, performing mostly commercial pest control. Stein said any successful suitor would need to have a similar philosophy, ethics and take a long view of the business.

“I believe we serve a function. We are in the public health end of pest management. Society needs us. I think of us as one physical arm of medicine, so to speak,” Stein said. “So I wanted a suitor, a partner, who felt the same way and would allow us to continue to serve.”

Stein said the Crane management team — Peter Davidson, Kenneth Ward and Ray Busley — would remain in place. He will continue to serve as CEO.

"I'm a long-time admirer of Hal and Vera Stein and their team at Crane. We aim to provide a comfortable home for their extraordinary co-workers and customers,” said Glen Rollins, vice president of Rollins, Inc., and president of Orkin.

Rollins told PCT his plan is for Crane to continue operating in much the same manner as it has been. "They are going to continue to operate with the same leadership," he said. "Really we are just walking into the ownership’s shoes very humbly, and we want them to be comfortable doing business the way they were before we became involved. We don’t have any illusions that we are going to improve Crane. We are just going to try to find a comfortable home for their team to operate within."

The purchase of Crane Pest Control is Rollins’ second large acquisition in nine months.

“I have always had a very deep respect for the Orkin operations and the Rollins family. I’ve admired what Glen has been doing at Orkin and what he has contributed to the industry,” Stein said. “It just seemed to fit. It seemed to be the best thing for our people.”