US pest control giant Rollins Inc, owner of the Orkin brand today announced that it has purchased the stock of BPCA Member Safeguard Pest Control and Environmental Services Limited, operating in greater London and Southeastern England. The acquisition closed today (29 June) and is Rollins' first company-owned operation in the United Kingdom.

Established in 1991 and headquartered in Westerham, Kent, Safeguard is a long established pest control company with expertise in bird management, specialising in services to residential and commercial customers.Owners Paul Butterick and Tim Sheehan will stay on to run the company operations. Gary W. Rollins, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rollins stated, "The Safeguard acquisition is an important milestone and expands our global presence. Safeguard's outstanding management team has established the company as an industry leader, and we share a culture of continuous improvement and ongoing investment in training and development. Further, we are pleased that Paul and Tim will remain in leadership roles and look forward to sharing best practices between the two organizations."

Orkin has been keen to enter the UK market for many years, exhibiting at PestEx to find the right UK company. It is expected that Safeguard will be the first of a series of acquisitons backed up by Orkin HQ's significant resources. Expect a new big player in the UK market, with deep pockets!

www.orkin.com

www.safeguardpestcontrol.co.uk