PCI, together with Exosect® Ltd. UK, introduced a new and highly- effective cockroach trap to India – Exoroach™. As exclusive agents, PCI has made this a part of our commercial GoldSeal service, when required. It is so effective that during trials the trap caught upto 6000 roaches! It is a great tool for PCI since it is 100% eco-friendly and is accredited with all the food safety standards.

BCRL launches another new product, called Lastraw™. This product is a specially formulated concoction of natural salts to tackle all soft-bodied sucking pests of plants. It has been highly successful and completely eco-friendly!

PCI constantly strives to expand and has finally done so in Thailand. What started out as a technical consultancy has now grown into a strong joint venture with PCS©, the largest facilities management company in Thailand. Together, PCS & PCI have named the JV Cannon Pest Management©. PCI aids in the pest solutions side to the business. This collusion has allowed PCI to start several functioning and successful branches in Thailand, equipped with a variety of our products, services, and expertise.

Keeping up with our R&D efforts, PCI has now partnered with Humanmeditek, Korea, to supply new-age, low-temperature, plasma steriumanmelisation technology in India. These machines are designed for use in the Health sector to sterilise medical equipment and other such apparatus. PCI strongly believes this new association will greatly enhance PCI’s product offerings.

BCRL continues to make great strides by introducing a new product called Su-Mona. This is a wettable powder formulation of a beneficial bacterium that has been found to be very effective in the management of soil borne diseases such as harmful bacteria and nematodes. This product has been registered with the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee, Government of India.

In recognition of their R&D efforts in agro and food processing industries, PCI won the National Award for R&D efforts in industry for the year 2007. This is the second time PCI has been conferred with this prestigious award (the first in 1993), given by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.

PCI kicks off its nationwide advertising campaign for the first time in the history of the company! A series of humorous TV Ads were made about the common household pests – cockroaches, termites & bed bugs. Coupled with the introduction of PCI’s new logo, the productions were a great success further boosting PCI’s brand name.

PCI became one the first companies in India to be certified to the new AQIS-AFAS Methyl Bromide standard. More than 28 PCI establishments all over India are registered and accredited with Directorate of PPQ&S, Govt. of India, as per the latest national and international standards (NSPM 11&12, ISPM 15) for methyl bromide fumigation and treatment of wooden packaging materials.

BCRL celebrated 25 years of stellar achievement; trail-blazing research efforts have led to numerous successes and a host of new products and technology.

PCI’s Biennial Convention was held in September, at the Goa Marriott Resort, in sunny Goa. This time, it was a completely in-house affair with PCI managers taking centre-stage. The theme was “The Onward March : Progression with Competence & Integrity” .

In March, PCI became the exclusive user of Termatrac™ termite detection & Tracking unit from Termatrac, Australia. The unit has significantly enhanced Termiseal™ Service by providing the unique ability to detect and track termite activity inside walls and surfaces without damaging them.

In May, PCI established its in-house Customer Care Centre at the Corporate Office. Fully staffed and operational, it caters to customer enquiries, complaints and other CRM issues. This has expanded to a network of 20 dedicated centres across the country.

In its Golden Jubilee year, the company was uniquely poised to provide a comprehensive range of professional services and quality products & equipment for Pest Management. It had made the transition from mere “pest control” to Intelligent Pest Management™ (IPM).

April saw the addition of a much-needed facility. PCI’s in-house residential Training Centre at Karjat, or KTC as it is now called, was made operational. KTC, situated on the banks of the Ulhas river, is fully equipped with the latest audio-visual aids and provides a conducive environment for all kinds of training courses, whether induction, refresher, new technology or soft skills

New Line of service for pest bird proofing, BirdPro™ Service (in association with Network Pest Control - Sorex International, UK), was launched. BirdPro™ Service soon made great strides and PCI, in a short span of time, acquired an impressive clientele for this unique service in the country. November : The Grand Convention 2004, commemorating 50 years of PCI’s existence, was held at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre, on the banks of Powai Lake.

It was at the very place that N.S. Rao had contemplated starting his business, 50 years ago. The theme, “An Odyssey of Success, Redefining the Future” aptly summed up the confident, new approach and the strides the company had taken since inception. PCI’s business associates were in full attendance for the technical sessions and the glittering grand finale, the Awards Nite. In November, PCI became exclusive distributors for Marolex, Poland, for their range of lightweight and durable spraying equipment.

January, Termiseal® was relaunched with Chlorpyriphos 2%. Trubble Gum^® Economy pack was also introduced alongwith the unique Road-Box™ Bait’n’Board station, which complies with latest standards and is lockable, tamper-proof and fixable. Roda-Box™ can be used with Roban® cake and also Trubble Gum™ Economy pack. New lines of service, Stored-product Insect Management, SIM^® Service (using the StorGard® range of products from Trece Inc., USA) was launched.

BCRL division grew from strength to strength. Procedures for mass production of various products were further improved and standardised. The close association with University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, resulted in the go-ahead for their M.Sc./ Ph.D. students to carry out their research at BCRL. This was further strengthened when a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the two institutions for collaborative research, training and extension, making BCRL the first and so far only private institution to have done so in the country.

In June 2003, PCI’s standardisation programme was launched, which included a smart new uniform for technicians and managers. This programme implemented the new standard operating procedures for upgradation of all services and also provided training to staff nationwide, enabling the company to re-equip itself to cater to the changed scenarios and requirements of its customers.

Advances in eco-friendly management techniques for agriculture continued; PCI is the first company to develop and patent a portable water trap, Wota-T™, to be used in conjunction with pheromone lures (also developed indigenously) for managing the four major sugarcane borers, Early Shoot Borer (Chilo infuscatellus), Inter-Node Borer (Chilo sacchaiphagus indicus), Stalk Borer (Scirpophaga excerptalis)and White Top Borer (Chilo auricilius). Other pheromones introduced were for the Brinjal Fruit & Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) and Melon Fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) and Fruit Fly (Bactrocera dorsalis). A specially designed trap for the last two, Fligh-T™ , was introduced along with an improved, water resistant trap with sticky liners, Del-Ta™, for trapping smaller moths such as Diamond Back Moth (Plutella xylostella). A singnificant break-through was the development of the indigenous lure for the Red Palm Weevil (Rhyncophorus ferrugineus), a serious pest of palm trees. RPW Lure™ is easy to use and is far cheaper than its imported counterparts.

PCI became the first pest management company in India to hold education and awareness programmes on food safety as per international norms. The series of seminars were held in association with the American Institute of Baking (AIB) International, a well-known food safety auditing company from the USA.

The Field Extension and Education (FEE) Unit was started, headquartered at BCRL with teams located at various branches across the country. FEE’s main objective is to conduct product trials and validations and gather various feedback from field conditions.

In January, the company’s corporate headquarters moved into the present premises at Jagdamba House, Goregaon. The large new office space afforded the setting up of a well-equipped training room and library as well.

PCI introduced the new generation glue based Insect Light Trap, Spider®, from Brandenburg, UK. These Electrical Flying insect Catcher (EFC) machines comply to international food safety standards and are an ideal tool for monitoring insect activity as they catch and preserve insects on Control (glue) Boards.

The same year, PCI became the sole distributors in India for Trece Inc., USA, for their Storgard® range of pheromone monitoring systems for Stored-product Insect Pests.

PCI’s association with the OCS Group, UK, was cemented with the creation of a 50:50 joint venture company, PCI Cannon Hygiene Pvt. Ltd., which was formally launched in April 2001. This marked PCI’s foray into service diversification, adding Feminine hygiene and Bio-medical Waste Disposal services into its large basket of pest management services.

BCRL moved into its new, sprawling premises on the outskirts of Bangalore and was officially inaugurated in April, 2001. This coincided with the PCI Convention 2001, with the theme : A Brave New World - New Alliances, New Synergies, New Challenges, New Opportunities, showcasing the company’s achievements and enhanced capabilities with the addition of new technologies and products.

Fumigation services were further strengthened with the installation of our own fumigation containers at Cochin in August 2000. The same month also saw PCI become the exclusive distributors in India for Goliath® Gel, the new generation cockroach control bait from Aventis CropScience.

Further amendments to the Companies Act, led to the re-insertion of the word “private” and so PCI reverted to its earlier name : Pest Control (India) Private Limited. The company logo also adopted a stronger and more contemporary identity.

Undertook the Pied Piper Project at Colaba, in south Mumbai, in 1992. The aim of this large scale rodent control programme was to demonstrate the long term efficacy and economy of a scientific approach using Roban®.

The rapid strides made by BCRL led to the National Award for Excellence in Research and Development Efforts in the Industry in the Agro-Industry Category, in 1993. This award is given by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Fumigation services achieved another first in the form of Bubble Fumigation in 1994, thus becoming the only PCO in the country to offer stack, structural, ship, aircraft, vacuum chamber and bubble fumigation.

1995 : PCI became the sole agent in India for IGEBA Geraetebau GmbH-Germany and introduced the advanced technology range of IGEBA® thermal fog generators. These are now standard equipment for the company’s mosquito control operations and also sold commercially. Glue traps for rats and mice were also introduced under the brand name Trubble Gum® in the same year.

1996 : PCI managed and implemented The Getty Conservation Trust’s Picture Mumbai Project, which was completed and opened at the Price of Wales Museum, Mumbai.

Development of specialised services led to the introduction of the Baiting Technique for Cockroach Control, specially designed to minimise client inconvenience (1997).

Introduced the concept of using natural extracts to stimulate facultative bacteria for odour control and waste management, through an agency for the Biologic™ range of products from SciCorp-Canada in 1997.

The fully automatic sterilizer, Auto Eto™ (1999) and Custom Sterilisation Service was added to the sterilisation range. Own chambers were set up at Cochin (1998), Bangalore and Mumbai (1999).

PCI had begun to spread its wings, and in 1980, started providing technical consultancy in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, through Muna Noor Incorporated. The operational and managerial staff were sent on deputation from PCI and major jobs were undertaken for termite, rodent and general pest control in palaces, residences and hotels.

Sterifume®, the microbial sterilisation service, was developed and introduced in hospitals and medical facilities in 1980.

The trials with pink cotton bollworm pheromone culminated with the setting up of the Bio-Control Research Laboratories, BCRL, in 1981. It was the first commercial insectary in India, with the aim of developing and perfecting “lab-to-land” bio-control technology.

In 1981-82, PCI was appointed as technical consultants by Greenfield MiddleEast Group, Dubai, U.A.E., and Four Eyes Consultants, to oversee the technical aspects and operations of aerial spraying against the Dubas Bug on date palms and on citrus orchards. Helicopters from Dollar Helicopters, U.K., were hired for the operation. From 1982-84, PCI carried out PPP-III using Bromadiolone at East and West Godavari Districts in Andhra Pradesh.

With the overall increase in business, a dedicated factory with increased chemical filling and formulation capabilities was set up at Mira Road, near Mumbai, in 1983. This would ensure that the same chemicals would be used as per standards, at every PCI service establishment across the country. The gas formulation and filling unit was also made operational at the same premises.

As a diversification, horticultural jobs including landscape designing and their implementation, were taken up for defence establishments such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and RCI Imarat at Hyderabad in 1985-86. Received the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Fair Business Practices from the President of India, in 1983.

The availability of synthetic pyrethroids such as Cypermethrin saw this chemical become one of the active ingredients in the new formula PestSeal® aerosol in 1984. PCI became the exclusive agent in the region for Lipha-France for Bromadiolone (which was commercially introduced under the brand name Roban® (1985).

In October 1988, PCI became a public limited company due to amendments in the Companies Act; the word “Private” was dropped from the title and the company became Pest Control (India) Limited. An emergency request from the country’s international flag carrier, Air India, led to the introduction of the Aircraft Fumigation service (1989).

The need for regular interraction within PCI was transformed into the PCI Convention. This biennial event, which has been regularly held since 1972, is a gathering of every manager from across the country.

In 1974-75, the Agricultural Department, Govt. of Maharashtra, sought PCI’s help for a large-scale intensive and extensive agricultural rodent control programme at Nannaj, Sholapur, which was heavily infested by rats. The programme, covering 7000 acres and 739 houses, carried out Rodafarin® baiting in fields and houses for commensal rats and included training facilities for village level workers and farmers.

PCI’s philosophy of client satisfaction and its resultant goodwill meant that it was often approached for solutions to problems not usually associated with pests. The medical fraternity expressed the need for alternate and better means of sterilisation for their equipment; this was developed into the first ethylene oxide gas based sterilizer, Freoster®, which was patented and introduced in 1977. To ensure a smooth and reliable supply of gas mixtures, the development of a dedicated gas filling and formulation unit was also set in motion.

Chlordane and Heptachlor were introduced into services; the former was also commercially introduced as a ready to use liquid termiticide, Termiseal® in 1976. PCI was the exclusive distributor in the region for Velsicol-USA, for the two chemicals. The same year, Pyrethrum was made commercially available in an aerosol form, under the brand name PestSeal®. Fumigation services had hitherto been limited to stored commodities in warehouses, containers and silos; 1978 saw ship fumigation being introduced, where bagged commodities in holds were fumigated.

In 1977-78, PCI demonstrated that a successful mosquito campaign could be carried out for a large area such as an entire township, when it bagged the contract for mosquito control at Faridabad, near Delhi. Residential and industrial areas (including surrounding villages) were treated using larvicides and adulticides. Motan swing foggers, PCI’s first import of fogging equipment, were also introduced in this project which was highly successful and well appreciated by all residents.

In 1979, PCI undertook its largest ever agricultural rodent control job for the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Karnataka, in an area covering more than 25,000 acres. The project was dubbed the Pied Piper Project and was the first of a series of many similar campaigns. The success of PPP-I led to PPP-II in the next year. The projects had, however, exposed the limitations of Warfarin; this to comprehensive field trials with the new generation, single dose anti-coagulant Bromadiolone (1979), which offered considerable advantages over conventional and first generation rodenticides.

PCI soon realised that excess use of chemical pesticides in agriculture and the resistance being developed in pests meant that alternate means of control were sorely needed. In 1979, an operational field trial project for suppression of the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) employing the “Gossyplure hollow fibre” controlled-release sex pheromone, was undertaken near Bhatinda, Punjab. This extensive project, carried out jointly with the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage (PPQ&S), Directorate of Agriculture-Aviation, New Delhi, Conrel an Albany International company from the US and the Indian Cotton Mills Federation, Bombay, was a great success and proved that the pink bollworm was the major problem on cotton in Punjab. The effectiveness of biological control was demonstrated when subsequent yields increased by almost 34%.

The KARMA (Karjat Agriclutural Rural Management Assistance) Project was initiated by the Rural Development Cell in 1975. The effort won national acclaim in the form of the Assocham Award from the Association of Chambers of Commerce, for Rural Development and Agricultural Activities, in 1978. The electric flying insect control system was introduced under the brand name Pest-O-Flash®, in 1979. PCI had spread its network to many more cities in the country, offering a wide range of professional services.

N.S. Rao then embarked on a worldwide pest control training visit. In 1960, he became a member of the National Pest Control Association, NPCA (now NPMA), the first member from the far-east excluding Japan. He visited the U.K. and trained at Rentokil, thus setting up the basis for a long association.

PCI soon set about its task and virtually wrote the handbook on pest control in the country. Specific training programmes were created in-house. With the Green Revolution and the pesticide manufacturers’ focus squarely on agriculture, the Company decided to set up its own chemical formulation and filling plant to ensure reliability, standards and efficacy at Ville Parle, Mumbai (1962). The available range of agricultural spraying equipment was modified for urban pest control use while technical teams were sent out of the country to source new technology and information.

A significant outcome was the introduction of Warfarin (1966), a multiple dose anti-coagulant rodenticide, under the brand name Rodafarin®. Soon PCI was offering all major services and its network of branches and bases grew steadily.

Realising that the trade would not have a voice or any significant representation unless there was a united forum, PCI spearheaded the setting up of the Indian Pest Control Association (IPCA), with N.S. Rao as its Founder President, in 1967. Since then PCI has had regular representation in the IPCA, with many senior executives having served the Association in various capacities over the years.

PCI was then the only company of its kind in India, with fumigation as the main business. Services soon expanded to include termite control (1955), rodent control and household disinfestation (1956). Those were the early days when Pest Control as a private service was virtually non-existent in India. There were no institutes to impart training and no specific equipment for urban pest control was available. Also, the restrictive import policies meant that new technologies were not easily accessible.