'Competition is no challenge for innovative entrepreneurs':

Pest control - his forte

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Marlon Ferreira

People with innovative ideas prefer to do uncommon things rather than copy others. Such entrepreneurs do not find it difficult to meet the challenge of the so-called competitiveness in the market today.

'Catch me if you can' is the slogan of one such young entrepreneur. He is the Managing Director ~Exterminators (Pvt) Ltd., Marlon Ferreira. His company leads in pest control for innovative services provided to its clients in Sri Lanka and overseas. The Exterminator is the first ever ISO 9001-2000 Standard and ISO 14001-2004 EMS Standard Company of SLSI in this field.

Marlon Ferreira was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Marlon who hails from Gothatuwa is an old boy of St Joseph's College, Colombo 10. He is the second child in a family of four children.

Higher studies

From the age of 17 after completing his GCE (Ordinary Level) examination he was keen to do a job and was not interested to pursue higher studies like many others.

He got a job as a steward in a five star hotel in Colombo but within a few days he realized that it was not the right place for him and quit. Then he secured another job in a pest control company.

"I went there without even knowing what pest control was all about but I remained there for few years and learnt the work.

In the meantime, I realized that higher studies was necessary and followed Advanced Level classes during the weekend at a private institute and got through the examination, he said. After getting a few years' experience I left the company and decided to start something on my own.

But I did not have a clear idea or had the capital to start anything. The only job I knew was pest control management," he said.

In 1998, Marlon set up a small business - Four Season Pest Management to provide pest, termite, and mosquito control and fumigation services. His investment was one vehicle and Rs. 100,000 borrowed from friends and relatives.

The vehicle was also used as the office and he gave the address of his brother-in-law's office in Battaramulla. Those days pest control was not recognized as a service. There were no qualified people or advanced equipment and there was no awareness about pest control. A few months later, Marlon did not know how to pay the lease of the vehicle.

He changed the name of the company to the present and did a little advertising and business picked up. People liked this name and I rented out a place in Koswatta, he said. After six months the office space was not enough and he rented out the present place in Battaramulla.

Business grows

Thereafter the business grew gradually and today its growth rate is 100 percent according to Marlon. He has provided employment to 40 qualified people who are well paid. The company has adopted state-of-the-art chemistry to control pests without any harm to people, pets or plants and its services are available in Galle, Kurunegala, Kandy and Colombo.

It is one of the few pest control companies in the island authorized and licensed by the Registrar of Pesticides Department of Agriculture in Sri Lanka. The company has obtained a licence for pest control termite control fumigation and an environmental licence as well. It is accredited by the AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Services of the Department of Agriculture, Australia and was awarded membership in several pest management organizations internationally.

Asked about the secret behind his success, he said it was determination. "I had the advantage of becoming one of the pioneers in this industry in Sri Lanka and I learnt all aspects of pest management control by participating in seminars, workshops and training programs in UK, Australia, India, Malaysia, and Singapore and became one of the most competent pest management professionals in the country.

Technical staff at work

I employ different training methods and train my employees also in Sri Lanka and abroad. As a result I could upgrade and improve the services daily. My prices are high as I give the best services but people still seek my services. However, there is a little delay in recovering the money from some clients. The recession has not affected my business. I believe tsunamis and recessions are there by nature to take bad people away from this world, he said

Real business

Secondly, I believe real business is to solve problems. I do not like to be introduced as a businessman.

I prefer to be known as an entrepreneur. My ultimate goal is to protect people in Sri Lanka and the region through an effective environmental friendly safe pest management service utilizing modern treatment methods and technology. I have done this free for deserving people and places as CSR projects.

In 2006, we stopped using chemicals completely. There are 2,000 species of pests but only 10 percent of them attack buildings. We only have to identify them and use different treatment methods.

Sri Lanka is strict on environmental issues and therefore this industry is developing. A Parliamentary Act will be introduced in the future with rules and regulations for the purpose," he said.

Future plans

Marlon's future plans include expanding to the North and the East in the country and he hopes to go out of the country in search of small market in the Maldives and Seychelles while strengthening current international partnerships with Malaysia, Portugal and the Maldives.

Discussions are under way to set up a BOI company with a Singapore based pest company.