Pelsis, Curtis Gilmour Announce Merger

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.”