The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TWO pest control companies with a combined 88 years’ experience will be able to take on more “large scale projects” following their merger under the Rentokil umbrella.

Mark Lanford, Tropical Exterminators’ general manager, told Tribune Business yesterday that the acquisition of Albury’s Pest Control would give the enlarged group the economies of scale and “synergies” to drive future growth. He explained that both firms will continue to operate under their separate names, given the ‘brand equity’ and loyal customer bases each has built up during their respective decades-long history in the industry.

With 34 employees, and a “regular” combined customer base of more than 1,000, Mr Lanford said it was now “up to us” to compete for more business as “one of the biggest” operators in the pest control and extermination sector.

“Probably more than anything it’s the synergies,” Mr Lanford said of the acquisition/merger rationale. “We’re able to run the businesses from the same office, and we’re pretty much on the same pay scales. I think, more than anything else, from hereon it’s up to us to go out there and get the business.

“The synergies from having a larger business gives you a lot more economies of scale. We can combine a lot of things together; two separate sets of expenses into one. Because the business is larger we can afford to give these guys better training, bringing people in from the outside - people from the US and UK - to give product and other training.

“It gives us a lot more equipment, and we can do large-scale projects.” Mr Lanford said several “really big buildings”, including Christ Church Cathedral, were among the group’s upcoming contracts, and described the group as “the kings of fumigation” on New Providence. Its main competitors are the likes of Struckum and Pest Control Bahamas.

Tropical Exterminators was Rentokil’s first acquisition when it returned to the Bahamas in December 2014, following a 17-year absence. Albury’s became the second exactly three years’ later, in December 2017, with Rentokil adopting the same model as its first purchase by retaining the company’s existing operating name.

With Tropical Exterminators founded in 1958, and Albury’s begun in 1979, the two companies - which already enjoyed strong links - now have 88 years of combined experience under one roof.

“That was a very successful deal, and the company is looking to do the same thing with Albury’s,” Mr Lanford said of Rentokil’s Tropical Exterminators. “The customer trust factor is there. People were afraid we were going to firm up pricing, but we haven’t done anything. We’re pulling out quotes for 2012, and doing it for the same price as then.

Mr Lanford told Tribune Business that the two companies shared the same values, particularly quality customer service and long-serving employees, with Albury’s founder, Billy Albury, having started his career with Tropical Exterminators in the early 1970s. His father, too, ran Tropical Exterminators for a period during the 1960s.

“Billy’s customer base is very valuable, and there are a lot of deep relationships,” he explained. Mr Lanford credited Mr Albury and Tropical Exterminators’ founder, Gary Sweeting, with “building a lot of goodwill in the community over the past few years, and we want to capitalise on that”.

Some seven Albury’s employees have joined the enlarged group post-merger, and Mr Lanford added: “We’ve got 1,000 regular pest control customers, and we have customers in hundreds of buildings in Nassau and the Family Islands. 

“The bottom line is we’re looking for ways to get people in, get them trained so they do well, and provide great service. The thing I’m most proud about is that we have long-tenured employees, and have added some along the way. It’s not like a revolving door.

“We say right people, right way and right thing. We treat our customers well, and to do that we have to treat our employees well first. Ask any of my guys and they’ll tell you that’s my value.”

Mr Albury will remain with the combined group as a consultant. “The name represents value and goodwill, and that is something that Billy and his team can be proud of,” Mr Lanford said.

“It was a great deal for Tropical Exterminators and all of our combined customers.”