| Having looked around all the stands there were several useful new products, or refinements of existing ones, but there was no single star product launched.
On the chemical product side, development and registration costs limit the launch of entirely novel active substances, but what is obvious is the number of non-chemical means of control now available. These ranged from the increasing use of cold from Silvandersson from Sweden to the heat offered by Thermokil and Revival Environmental. Pheromone products from UK-based Russell IPM and Sentomol along with Insects Ltd from the USA play their part, as do the number of companies offering bird spike products – Network and Jones & Sons from the UK to Chabanne from France to Bird-B-Gone and Bird-X from the USA.
For sheer activeness, the bed bug dogs on the Trust K9 and Merlin Environmental Solutions stands took first prize.
Trend towards digital items
Maybe most noticeable was the increasing trend towards digital equipment such as computer software to run and manage your business, for example from Service Pro from the US, or PestScan from the Netherlands. Bait boxes are also entering a new era with the advent of remote sensing of bait stations and there were several on display – for example Alert 24 from Paragon Professional and Kill-@lert from Woodstream and GreenTrapOnline from Denmark.
Syngenta reveals all!
Making a splash was Syngenta. Their stand was as large as any in the exhibition and was sporting the company’s new image and identity – the first time this had been on display anywhere in the world. They set-out to deliver the message that the company is now a large and serious player within this market – and they certainly succeeded!
Fastest man around
Despite several new products, the main attraction on the Lodi stand was their competition called ‘Are you as Fast as Black Pearl’. Over 100 people entered on day 1 and Peter Higgs from PCH Pest Control based in Surrey proved he had the fastest reactions. The challenge consisted of a large electronic board where lights came on at random. When you hit the light it went out and another came on elsewhere on the board. Peter scored a massive 52 hits in 30 seconds and put his speed down to playing ice hockey. He won a magnum of champagne. Well done Peter – he is actually quite good at winning things having won the RBS Enterprise award for London and the South East earlier in the year – click here to see – he subsequently went on to win the national final too.
Killgerm goes blue
The main UK pest control distributors were all represented. Killgerm seem to have entered a ‘blue period’ and took on a James Bond theme with all their male staff looking very handsome in dickie bows. If you were awaiting a re-run of the Olympic opening ceremony you were to be disappointed as, regrettably, The Queen was not available to make an entrance by parachute!
A P+L Systems take-over?
If P+L Systems continue along their current path, events like this will soon be a bit of a one company show. On their main P+L stand the Insect-O-Cutor brands featured, along with Network bird products. Sited nearby was distributor SX Environmental and also their most recent acquisition, Pest-Stop.
A new name in the distribution world maybe, but new boys, PestFix, had a stand to be proud of featuring their range of bird, rodent, insect and animal control products.
New webinars from PestPractice
Not to be forgotten Pest magazine also had a hand in the launch of new resources for pest controllers from PestPractice – seven new webinars were released at PestEx. Produced in conjunction with Glow, Acheta and the Pest Management Consultancy, PestPractice online webinars, presented by industry experts, offer an exciting, low cost and easy way to learn and keep up-to-date. |
PelGar finds time for a quick chat!
Syngenta reveals its new corporate identity
Peter Higgs (left) proves quick off the mark
Killgerm’s Paul Hoyes enters a ‘blue period’
PestFix – a new name and a new stand
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Exhibitors from Italy – GEA
My nose knows
Cheers! Port from Portugal