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About PBC
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International pest management services firm Anticimex has acquired Environmental Pest Management (EPM), established in 2003 and based in Columbus, Ohio. EPM’s residential base is central Ohio, but its commercial accounts coverage includes Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana.
This strategic acquisition marks Anticimex’s entry into the Midwest pest control market. Paul Giannamore and Franco Villanueva-Meyer of The Potomac Co. acted as exclusive financial advisors to EPM in the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to welcome EPM to the Anticimex family,” Sean Steves, president of Anticimex North America, said in a news release. “The Midwest has been an attractive market to Anticimex since Anticimex entered North America, and partnering with the Carpenter family was a great cultural fit.”
EPM founder and CEO Jason Carpenter noted in the news release that “we’re excited for our team members and the opportunities that come along with a partnership like this. Anticimex and EPM have similar core values, which is why we felt Anticimex was the right partner to continue growing the business in this new, exciting chapter of the EPM journey.”
About Anticimex
Founded in Sweden in 1934, Anticimex operates in 22 countries worldwide with more than 12,000 employees. In the United States, Anticimex has a presence in 26 states through 18 brands.
Company president and owner Paul Alley, ACE, CWCO, noted in a news release that Adams, a graduate of State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, “brings a fresh, modern perspective to the company’s marketing, brand development and customer engagement efforts. She will lead marketing strategy as Pestmaster Hudson Valley continues to grow throughout the region.”
“We’ve always believed we’re a customer-service company that happens to be in the pest control business,” Alley added.
“Marketing today is about more than getting someone to pick up the phone,” said Adams. “It’s about creating an experience that starts before the customer ever contacts us and continues long after the technician leaves.”
President and Owner Paul Alley said Adams’ appointment reflects the company’s continued investment in growth and the customer experience.
“Riley brings a fresh perspective to our organization, and that’s exactly what we were looking for,” said Alley.
About Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley
Founded in 1999, Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley is a locally owned, full-service pest and wildlife management company serving residential, commercial, institutional and government customers throughout the Hudson Valley.
The latest offering from Envu, the Envu Pump Kit (EPK), is designed to streamline and simplify what has long been a complicated pretreatment process. Totality Wood Treatment and the EPK work together as a one-step solution.
Totality wood treatment delivers quick, even distribution and long-lasting protection against termites and other wood-destroying insects (WDI), all from a single application. It applies evenly even in cold temperatures; there’s no need for warm water or same-day application. Plus, once it’s down, it holds up to moisture rather than washing away.
The EPK is a closed transfer system that provides easy setup, accurate mixing and reduced waste. When paired with Totality wood treatment, the EPK unit streamlines the process — which typically involves hauling and connecting separate tools, diluting by hand, mixing product and intensive rinsing equipment between uses — into one single, accurate application.
The result is a pretreatment process that trades complexity for consistency, giving pest management professionals a way to reduce labor on every job while still delivering the long-term protection their customers expect with one application, one system and less hassle.
About Envu
Envu was founded in 2022, a company built on years of environmental science experience, for the sole purpose of advancing healthy environments for everyone, everywhere. Envu offers dedicated services in: Professional Pest Management, Forestry, Ornamentals, Golf, Industrial Vegetation Management, Lawn & Landscape, Mosquito Management, and Range & Pasture. Envu collaborates with customers to design innovative solutions that meet their requirements today and well into the future. The Envu portfolio consists of over 250 trusted and well-known brands. The company employs more than 1,000 people, operates in 100 countries, and has four global innovation hubs.
There’s a hearty list of non-native and invasive pest species that pest management professionals (PMPs) are tasked to manage, and one in particular has become quite the problem in recent years. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, or SLF) has continued to spread from its original detection in Pennsylvania across the Mid-Atlantic and into parts of the Midwest and Southeast. Threatening vineyards, orchards, hardwoods and numerous ornamental plants, SLF has become a routine headache for PMPs in many quarantine counties.
Even if SLF hasn’t reached your service territory yet, it’s worth keeping on your radar as its range continues to expand.
Successful SLF programs rely on an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that combines inspection, monitoring, vegetation management, destruction of egg masses and insecticide applications when needed. Train applicators to recognize all life stages, especially the distinctive mud-like egg masses found on trees, vehicles, pallets and other outdoor surfaces. Prioritize inspections around preferred host plants such as tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), grapevines, maples and other susceptible ornamentals.
When chemical control is warranted, combining contact and systemic insecticides can provide both immediate knockdown and longer-term suppression. Treatment timing is critical, however. Early-season management targeting newly hatched nymphs often is more effective than waiting until large adult populations become established later in the summer. Because adults are highly mobile, customers also should understand that reinfestation from surrounding areas is common and that multiple treatments may be necessary during periods of heavy pressure.
Finally, stay up to date with your state’s extension service and regulatory agencies, as quarantine requirements and management recommendations continue to evolve.
BASF
Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS
By Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS, Technical Services Representative
Invasive species continue to challenge pest management across the U.S., with insects like SLF and emerald ash borers (Agrilus planipennis, or EAB) among the most significant threats. SLF, now established in multiple states, damages trees by feeding on sap and promoting mold growth. Meanwhile, EAB has spread to much of the country, killing millions of ash trees and reshaping urban and natural landscapes.
Early detection is key. Routine inspections, accurate identification and monitoring high-risk items like firewood and outdoor equipment can help limit spread. Incorporating IPM strategies — combining mechanical, cultural and chemical controls — supports more effective, long-term results.
Client communication is equally critical. Educate customers on how invasives spread, especially by hitchhiking on vehicles, firewood and outdoor items. Encourage simple actions such as inspecting and cleaning belongings before moving them and avoiding the transport of firewood. Clear, practical guidance helps clients become active partners in prevention.
To stay informed, rely on resources like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS.usda.gov), state extension services, and the National Invasive Species Information Center (InvasiveSpeciesInfo.gov) for updates and best practices. Ongoing education ensures everyone is prepared to respond to evolving invasive threats.
Nisus
By Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE, National Director of Technical Services
Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE
Invasive pests and insecticide-resistant cockroaches may seem like unrelated problems, but they often follow the same biological playbook.
Consider the Turkestan cockroach (Periplaneta lateralis). Introduced into the United States only a few decades ago, it possesses biological traits that have allowed it to adapt quickly, reproduce rapidly and establish populations across many regions of the country. Today, Turkestan cockroaches are displacing American (P. americana) and Oriental (Blatta orientalis) cockroach species in many habitats because of these adaptations.
Insecticide resistance develops along a similar pathway. Within a cockroach population, a few individuals naturally possess genetic traits that help them survive an insecticide application. Those survivors reproduce, passing those advantageous genes to future generations until resistant populations become increasingly common.
Whether preventing the spread of an invasive species like the Turkestan cockroach or delaying resistance in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica), early intervention is critical. Eliminating new introductions and integrating multiple control strategies reduce the opportunity for advantageous traits to establish or spread. Using products with multiple modes of action or applying multiple products that have different modes of action can help circumvent the advantageous traits that are making eradication difficult. Whether it’s an invasive species or insecticide resistance, today’s survivors become tomorrow’s population.
Envu
Matt Remmen
By Matt Remmen, Senior Technical Services Manager
Asian needle ants (Brachyponera chinensis) are an invasive species spreading throughout the eastern U.S. They can be challenging to detect because they often nest in hidden locations such as mulch, leaf litter, landscape timbers and beneath stones. One unique trait is their tandem-carrying behavior: Workers may transport nestmates to food resources rather than forming the obvious foraging trails seen with many other ant species.
When inspecting a property, spend extra time checking shaded, moist areas and watch individual foragers closely. Tracing their movement back to harborage sites can reveal satellite nests and help improve overall management outcomes.
Rockwell Labs
Nick Godfroid
By Nick Godfroid, BCE, Technical Specialist
While Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) may come to mind as more memorable invasive species, the invasions that influence PMPs the most tend to be slightly different variations of pests with which we’re already familiar. For instance, in the southeastern United States, many PMPs currently are dealing with Asian needle ants. This invasive species can go unnoticed by the untrained eye because it easily can be misidentified and grouped with “little black sugar ants.”
They definitely aren’t like the locals, though. They forage differently, scout and trail differently, and have a painful sting. An observant PMP can identify these ants and treat them appropriately.
Asian needle ants are highly carnivorous and prefer protein baits. An abamectin ant gel with protein is a great choice, applied where foragers are active, or an imidacloprid granular bait with high protein content.
Get to know your local species, learn which imposters may be present in your territory and keep a keen eye out for anything new. Who knows? You may stop the next ecological invasion yourself!
J.T. Eaton
Isabelle Lucero
By Isabelle Lucero, Education and Compliance Officer
The Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is an invasive species that has the potential to harm livestock, companion animals and even humans.
This species was first officially detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, the Asian longhorned tick has become established in the United States, spreading to many eastern states. These ticks have the ability to multiply rapidly by a process called parthenogenesis, where females can reproduce without the need for males.
Although Asian longhorned ticks primarily are threats to U.S. livestock through the transmission of serious diseases, they are known to spread diseases to humans outside of the United States.
Prevention is essential to managing this invasive tick, as well as most other tick species:
1. Establish a tick prevention treatment program for livestock and companion animals to kill ticks before they can transmit disease.
2. Make sure any potential tick habitat is reduced by cutting grasses short and reducing brush and woody debris around pastures and lawns.
3. Control for tick hosts, like rodents, that transport ticks onto pasture or residential land. There are many tools available in this regard, including combination tick and rodent bait.
Arkion Life Sciences
BJ Harrington
By BJ Harrington, Sales and Marketing Director
Tick control is getting harder, especially with invasive species becoming more prevalent and resistance becoming more of a concern.
One of the most practical ways PMPs can fight this is by rotating a natural pesticide into their program. Natural options such as essential-oil blends, botanical oils or microbial products typically act through different pathways than most conventional treatments. Alternating a natural pesticide with a standard pesticide every few applications or seasons can break a continuous evolution that builds resistance.
Use the natural product on lower-pressure properties, as a follow-up after a chemical application, or in sensitive areas where a reduced synthetic load is preferred. Monitor tick activity with sampling and adjust the rotation if control rates decline.
This simple rotation extends the useful life of chemical tools, lowers overall active-ingredient use and helps keep treatments effective longer.
Syngenta
By Lisa Eppler, Technical Services Manager
Dr. Lisa Eppler
Invasive pests have been spreading across the United States, including EAB, brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) and Asian long-horned beetles (Anoplophora glabripennis). In particular, the recent spread of SLF across multiple states is a good example of how quickly invasive species can become established, creating unexpected and significant challenges.
Here are five areas of importance to help you stay ahead of these pests:
Inspections. Keep an eye out for pests that seem unusual for the area. Sometimes an invasive species is discovered simply because something didn’t look quite right.
Watch lists. Many states and universities regularly publish lists of invasive pests. Staying familiar with these species helps you recognize potential problems early.
Documentation. If you suspect you’ve found an invasive species, take clear photos, collect specimens and report through the proper channels to help specialists confirm the identification.
Reporting. Clients often are the first to notice something new. Encouraging them to report unusual insects might lead to early detection.
Treatment. Invasive pests generally are drawn to feeding on plants, so a systemic adulticide often is an ideal control method.
When it comes to invasive species, early action can make the difference between a manageable problem and the next headline pest.
After more than 30 years of being in the pest control industry, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard “Your service costs too much.”
It’s the objection heard more than any other. When a customer says it, your gut reaction probably is to get defensive and start justifying your price by listing everything you will do for them.
Foster Brusca
Don’t do that! It’s the fastest way to kill a sale. Instead, treat it as an opportunity to show customers what they’re paying for. Focus on demonstrating the value rather than just the features.
Emphasize value
Here’s the thing to remember: Price is what people pay; value is what they get. When someone pushes back on the price, usually it’s not really about the number. They just don’t see the value yet. Something’s missing, and it’s your job to demonstrate to them why your service is worth it.
This is the struggle most people in our industry have: How do you prove the value of something people can’t really see or touch? Selling something intangible takes skill and knowledge. You need to be patient with the customer and guide them on a path to see the true value of your service. Take these four steps:
1. Just listen. Then agree with them. When a customer says you’re too expensive, don’t fight it. Agree and say something like, “You’re right, we’re not the cheapest company.” It throws people off a little and gets their guard down. Then slide into a story. Tell them about a customer who went with the cheap option, how it didn’t work, and how they ended up calling you to clean up the mess. Stories work. People remember them way more than they remember a list of features.
2. Explain what you’re doing. Don’t just rattle off the services you will be performing; instead, explain to them what it actually means for their home or business. Performing a termite inspection and finding an active colony? Inspecting a food production plant and coming across the source of a long-term pest issue? Explain why you are conducting your inspection, what you found and how this may impact their home or business. Don’t just go through the motions of the inspection; be the investigator. You are there looking for the things that other companies might have missed. At the end of the day, people are not really buying pest control. They’re buying peace of mind that you will be there to solve their problems the right way.
3. Be upfront about your pricing. We all know that providing pest control the right way takes time and real skill, so say that. Discuss the ongoing training your technicians undergo, emphasizing that it is not a one-time event. Talk about your service methods, not your service features. You don’t need to trash talk the competition, but you can point out that sometimes cheaper companies cut corners to hit their margins, which really means the job doesn’t get done the right way. Sometimes it requires two or three services that somehow end up costing the customer more without even realizing it. Charging what your service is worth and doing it right the first time saves everyone money and headaches later on.
4. Don’t cave on your price. If you drop your price the second someone pushes back, you’re basically telling them your original price was made up and that it was actually higher than it should be. Instead, lean into the value conversation. Remind them what problem you’re solving for them. It’s a balancing act, though, because you don’t want to just repeat yourself. Sure, sometimes a discount makes sense, but not the moment someone flinches at the price. That flinch only confirms to the customer they were right all along: Your price is too high.
Selling pest control comes down to trust and knowledge. If you talk like you believe in what you’re offering, customers stop staring at the price tag and start thinking about the results. Get good at demonstrating the real value of your service, and the sales will start to come more easily.
from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/how-pest-control-companies-can-overcome-price-objections-and-demonstrate-service-value/ Sacramento CA
Metuchen, N.J.-based All Pest Solutions has been purchased by JP McHale Pest Management, an Anticimex company, further strengthening the latter’s presence across New York and New Jersey. The Aust Group represented All Pest Solutions, which was founded by industry veteran Scott Soltis in 2006, on the transaction as the exclusive financial advisor. The transaction closed on May 26, 2026; terms were not disclosed.
In a news release, Stuart Aust, principal of The Aust Group, noted that “it was a privilege to represent Scott and the exceptional business he has built over the past 20 years. We are equally grateful for the friendship we developed throughout the process.”
About JP McHale Pest Management
Since 1971, JP McHale Pest Management, an Anticimex company, has provided science-based solutions to homeowners and businesses throughout the Greater New York City area. Headquartered in Buchanan, N.Y., JP McHale Pest Management continues to innovate and utilize scientific expertise with the goal of delivering excellent service. JP McHale Pest Management became part of Anticimex in 2019.
About The Aust Group
The Aust Group is a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) firm dedicated to the pest control industry, helping owners achieve the best possible outcomes through expert guidance and experience. It was founded in 2018 by Stuart Aust, a longtime pest management professional and company owner who today serves both as a principal of The Aust Group and as a columnist with his son Daniel for Pest Management Professional magazine.
Inspections. Keep an eye out for pests that seem unusual for the area. Sometimes an invasive species is discovered simply because something didn’t look quite right.