Highlights from the Parasitec 2012 exhibition

With nearly 60 stands to get around, what caught your attention? On the product front there was no out-and-out star of the show, but all the stands were stacked with brightly lit goodies and packed with pest controllers either having a look or just enjoying the convivial environment. So what scored with the Pest team?

Amusingly, the stand which must have had the most visitors – certainly at any one time – was the Lodi Group one. Taking up a considerable area at the top-end of the exhibition hall this stand was unique in that it did not feature a single product! Over the years Lodi has built-up a reputation as the stand to visit and this year was no exception. It was celebration time – as the company was going all-out to mark the occasion of its 30th anniversary. Read more about Lodi and the activities on its stand.

For the slightly more sober-minded the French distributors’ stands were equally packed. On the busy Edialux stand you could find representatives from several of their product suppliers.

This included Ian Smith of JJBio who you will be amazed to hear can extol the virtues of Bird Free Optical Gel equally well in French, as he can in English! Also spotted was Jim Harper all the way from California, who was doing a good line in demonstrating his Exacticide dusting machine.

A regular from the UK at all these events is P+L Systems, not only with their range of Insect-O-Cutor fly killing machines but also the Network bird products. New this time around, was the inclusion of the range of products from SX Environmental. As at PestTech, the new BaitSafe rodent and insect bait station was making its debut. Click here to read more.

Other familiar faces
Again very much a regular, was the presence of Killgerm – although only under the PestWest banner as there is no direct Killgerm distribution business in France. Also from the UK were Brian Mansfield of Spray Systems based in Aylesbury and magazine publisher, International Pest Control. The new bed bug trap on the AgriSense stand attracted considerable attention, but being listed as AgriSense, yet now owned by, and known as, Suterra did cause some of us a bit of a problem with their split personality.

Manufacturers from Italy scored well – as GEA, OR.MA, Blue Line, Vebi and Tifone were all exhibiting. Also a regular at such events was Plastdiversity with their range of rodent bait boxes – including recently launched Neptuno and Coral – click here to read more. From further afield, Babolna Bio from Hungary made something of a stir, as their stand featured a display of live rats – although they did seem to spend most of the time fast asleep! Also from eastern Europe came Unichem from Slovenia who featured their newly launched Ratimor monitoring bait.

Keen to make his mark in Europe, Sean Paker from well-known USA-based AP&G Catchmaster had the company’s range of products on display. Well-known in the States they maybe, but Sean is now on a mission to add Europe to their sales area.

Multinationals present as expected
As to be expected the large multination companies had a strong presence. BASF was testing its potential new insecticide ‘tablet style’ delivery system – as seen at PestTech the week before. Bayer was doing a roaring trade and the European team from Bell was present, including the company’s new territory manager for France – Arnaud Del Valle. Whilst the now merged business of DuPont with Syngenta was present on its distributor’s stand.

We are becoming one industry
Appropriately, the last word goes to Marc Esculier, currently president of the French trade association – CS3D. Reflecting the views of many, Marc said: “Pest control, especially in Europe, is increasingly becoming one big family. We all face the same problems and the same issues. The manufacturers are common to most markets, as are the suppliers. All these events are coming together – and together we are stronger. Our thanks should go to all those involved with the trade associations around Europe and to CEPA. We are becoming one industry.”

Edialux stand
Packed! Shoulder to shoulder on the stands

BASF BASF was busy testing its new delivey system

Babolna
The Babolna team – with ratty friends –
made an impression

Representing the industry associations.
Left to right: Marc Esculier (president of CS3D,
Brigitte Guillot (CD3D secretary general) and
Bertrand Montmoreau (chairman of CEPA