Rentokil Terminix hosts ribbon cutting ceremony for Innovation Center

In Pest Management Professional’s May 2023 issue (p. 70), I talked about how Rentokil Initial’s global research and development center, The Power Centre, has been open in Crawley, United Kingdom, since September 2017. Still very much in use today, it provides technical consulting and product testing, and is focused on the future with product development, regulatory analysis and planning.

On June 6, Rentokil Terminix hosted both a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center in Irving, Texas. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

Josiah Ritchey, a senior vector entomologist for Rentokil Terminix, conducted demonstrations in the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center’s Vector Lab during the June 6 open house. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

I also announced that, in my role as head of science and innovation for North America at Rentokil Initial, I would be setting up and leading the North American center for innovation, based in Dallas, Texas, using The Power Centre as our inspiration. Thanks to construction delays, we weren’t able to move in until March 2024. Finally, on June 6, 2024, we had an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center. It is located in Irving, Texas, just northwest of Dallas. Features include:

A built-in insectary for indigenous and global insects, curated by entomologists and available not only for research, but for community and civic groups to tour and learn from

Three independent laboratories for preparation and implementation of investigative, in-vivo experiments

An early innovation screening and product efficacy claims development team

Temperature-controlled environmental chambers

A showroom and conference room for both training and educational events

A 50,000-square-foot warehouse

A wall outside a Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center training room showcases the company’s regional offices worldwide. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

The Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center devotes a hallway to a company timeline, for visitors to learn about the company’s history and growth. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix) 

Right now, five north Texas Rentokil Terminix branches work in this facility, along with our Dallas Ambius branch. We offer sales training for employees all over the country and different managerial training, and we welcome about 400 people a month for various meetings. In addition, the Center hopes to soon welcome community members from children to seniors and develop internship programs with local educators.

Ultimately, the goal is to encourage budding entomologists and have conversations with them about what kind of career options are available in professional pest management and support those who are interested in using our resources for studying and learning.

We also welcome community members, from children to seniors. We hope to get an internship program going soon with Texas A&M University. We want to encourage budding entomologists — have conversations with them about what kind of career options are available and let those who are interested use our resources for studying and learning.

Specimens and a microscope were at the ready for attendees of the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center’s open house event June 6. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

I’m often asked what innovation means to a service-based company like Rentokil Terminix, as opposed to a manufacturing facility or a university campus, for example. My answer is that innovation is more than a device or product you hold in your hand; it’s about making pest control technician jobs safer, more efficient and more effective. It’s also about how they’re moving through their jobs, growing their careers and helping those who can look to them as mentors. For us, that will drive our organic growth.

I look forward to working with my team to be stewards of this new facility, making it a place where education and innovation continue to make great strides in professional pest management every day.

The Power Centre in Crawley, United Kingdom, features research laboratories, five product test rooms, three training rooms, and seven simulated on-site locations — including a supermarket, a hotel, a restaurant kitchen and more. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/23/rentokil-terminix-hosts-ribbon-cutting-ceremony-for-innovation-center/
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