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NAME: |
Bruce T. Blything |
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D.O.B: |
11th February 1941 |
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EMAIL: |
pestsales@theicsgroup.co.uk
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The
Interview: |
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Please
describe your professional background. |
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After training in pharmacy, I joined Ayrton Saunders, a pharmaceutical wholesale company calling on retail chemists in the lake district and southern Scotland. I then had the opportunity to join Calmic Ltd. on their Industrial Medical Division representing them to the industrial surgery market. Both these posts gave me great enjoyment and the opportunity to deal with professional product users. |
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How
did you first come to be involved in pest control? |
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Calmic Ltd. became part of the Wellcome Foundation in 1965 and as a result, Wellcome Industrial Pesticides was formed, which included the expertise of Messrs. Cooper, McDougall and Robertson, another Wellcome Holding. Wellcome industrial pesticides was a major manufacturer and supplier to the professional pest control market and Wellcome's slogan - In Pursuit of Excellence - really meant what it said. Major synthetic pyrethroid products like Coopex (permethrin) and Crackdown (deltamethrin) were amongst the products developed. I was pleased to be associated with Wellcome from 1965 - 1980 and regard this period as a Golden Age when to be part of the Wellcome foundation was a real privilege. |
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What
is your favourite aspect of the pest control industry? |
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People outside our industry may regard pest control as a rather odd but necessary occupation. My favourite aspect is the ongoing challenge to improve community living standards, by producing better products and delivery systems and to continue to interact with the interesting folk who make up our industry. |
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Least
favourite aspect of the pest control industry? |
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Over regulation and political correctness. |
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What
is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? |
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To develop Industrial Pesticides from the ground upwards. When Wellcome decided to market their professional products through selected distributors in 1980, I had the brief to set up Industrial Pesticides as a major specialist supplier.The challenge was to make it succeed. Its success may be judged by the fact that we have developed a stable and continually growing company who's staff (including some ex Wellcome staff) are as committed today as they were in the 80's and customers whom we value and hope value us, in the UK and overseas. |
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What
advice would you give to anyone thinking of a career in pest
control? |
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To anyone coming into this industry I would say that if you are looking for an easy stress free life, forget it! I would also say if you are looking for a challenging and satisfying career which is there to maintain and improve the living standards of our community and safeguard our food, you could not choose a more worthwhile career, both in terms of the service we render and the products we use. |
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What
motivates and drives you? |
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The goal of constant improvement and commitment to maintaining and bettering our performance is a constant driver together with the comradeship of staff in our own company and colleagues in our industry - long may it continue. |
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Do
you have any remaining or unfulfilled ambitions? What are
they? |
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To see Industrial Pesticides continue to grow and to contribute to the overall success of the pest control industry in all its forms - Manufacture, Distribution and Customer Support. |
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Has
the industry changed much during your career? How? |
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The Pest Control industry has changed a great deal in some ways since the late 60's. Research and development into new molecules has slowed due to legislation and environmental pressures. All manufacturing companies need a payback on products developed and in the current climate, such development will be limited. Environmental considerations mean that we are constantly asked for Green alternatives. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers here that actually work against a range of pests constantly on the rise. What's the future? I believe it is maintaining and using strategically, the tried and tested products we have. I have no problem with the Use Less Pesticides drive, but be aware - less pesticides in volume terms probably means more expensive pesticides on a lower unit volume basis. There are no magic alternatives and we must all do our bit to maintain the safe and effective benefits pesticides give us when used and applied correctly. |
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Describe
an amusing pest control anecdote. |
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Always remember - if you can see where you sprayed it, you've sprayed it in the wrong place! |
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