Built for your Business was the theme for this year’s record breaking PestWorld 2026 held at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas, USA.
Organised by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), more than 4,600 pest management professionals came together to participate in PestWorld 2026.
Some 500 of these delegates came from overseas, representing 52 countries, reinforcing the fact that this event is the global pest management industry’s most significant conference, exhibition and educational event.
Welcoming delegates during the opening ceremony, sponsored by Envu, NPMA CEO, Dominique Stumpf, said: “This year’s theme is Built for Your Business, and Texas feels like the right place to bring it to life. There’s a spirit of independence and possibility here that I recognize in the people of this industry.
“You see it in the business owners who take chances, the teams who show up for their clients every day, and the families who have made pest management their life’s work.”
Delegates were reminded they were in Texas at the opening session on the second day. Sponsored by Corteva, they were welcomed in true Texan-style with a display from Loop Rawlins, a ‘Wild West’ performer who entertained the audience with trick roping and whip cracking.
During this session, the NPMA gavel of office was passed onto the incoming president, Mike Bullert, from previous president, Emily Thomas Kendrick. The session closed with a keynote presentation from Riaz Meghji, a human connection expert, who stressed that every conversation counts: “You must connect with a person first” he stressed.
During the final opening session on Thursday, NPMA presented a number of awards, including NPMA’s highest award, the Pinnacle award, to Russ Ives, chairman of Rose Pest Solutions based in Michigan, a third-generation pest management professional who served as NPMA president from 2015 to 2016, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
In his presentation, Marshall Gaster, head of marketing for session sponsor Syngenta, detailed how products used may only account for five percent of a pest controller’s cost, but that small percentage could affect the entire job if selected or applied incorrectly. He implored delegates to “think outside the bottle.”
A host of educational sessions
Over the three days there was a whole host of educational sessions delegates could choose to attend. These covered a range of commercial topics, such as business growth, mergers and acquisition strategy, use of data and, most topical of all, how AI can be harnessed to grow a business.
On the technical side, presentations from noted experts covered developments in the control of pests such as ants, cockroaches, rodents, mosquitoes, bed bugs and even alligators and snakes.
The exhibition is always at the heart of PestWorld events and this year the exhibition hall was sold out with over 250 exhibitors. Virtually everything a pest control business would need was featured. This included control products and equipment from the manufacturers, ranging to vehicles and digital business management software.
As well as the core exhibitors from the US there were also many exhibitors from Europe, South America and Asia.
All the large multinational companies known in Europe, such as Bell Labs, Syngenta, BASF and Envu had stands, as well as UK-based organisations such as Pelsis, PelGar, Rat Pak and PestWest.
Summing up the feelings of UK exhibitors, Rupert Broome, chief executive of the Killgerm Group, said: “PestWorld in Dallas was a wonderful event, as always. It allowed our PestWest colleagues to showcase their market-leading and comprehensive range of LED insect light traps on offer around the world from PestWest.
“PestWorld offered a valuable opportunity to connect with partners, new and old from all over the world.”
Global meeting
The Global Pest Management Coalition (GPMC) meeting is now a well-established feature of PestWorld. Members from 35 different countries from around the world were welcomed by outgoing GPMC president, Manuela Cordeiro, who stressed the main purpose of this group was to create a unified voice for pest control.
Viren Merchant, the incoming GPMC president, updated those present on the progress made with WHO over the last year.
“WHO now recognises and values the link with a group, such as the GPMC, who bring with them global in-field knowledge,” explained Mr Merchant.
Their appreciation of our world-wide organisation and global standards has enabled them to roll-out service strategies to combat vector and pest related problems.”
At PestWorld events there is always time to network and make new contacts, especially at the social events. The international reception sponsored by Orkin always proves popular and on the final night, the lively PestFest party, sponsored by MGK, had a strong Texan feel to it, making it the perfect finale to four hectic days.
Next year’s PestWorld will be in Boston, Massachusetts on October 26-29, 2027. But before this, delegates are invited to PestWorld East to be held in Dubai, UAE on February 2-3, 2027.
