Rentokil Initial
Encyclopedia
Rentokil Initial is a major British
business services group. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange
and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
.
, Professor of entomology
at Imperial College, London, who had been investigating ways to kill Death watch beetle
s that had infested Westminster Hall, next door to the Houses of Parliament
. Lefroy and his assistant produced an anti-woodworm
fluid called Ento-Kill Fluids: ento came from the Latin
name for insect. In 1925 he tried to register the name Entokill, but had to choose Rentokil Limited instead. On 14 October 1925, Lefroy was killed in a laboratory when an experiment produced poisonous fumes. His assistant, Elizabeth Eades, took over the running of the company, which was bought in 1957 by British Ratin. British Ratin became Rentokil Group in 1960. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
in 1969.
The company became Rentokil Initial following the hostile takeover of its competitor BET (British Electric Traction
) in 1996, but is still referred to as Rentokil.
For many years Rentokil Initial achieved growth of circa 20% each year under the leadership of then CEO, Sir Clive Thompson: during this period Rentokil Initial was voted "Britain's most admired" company. Thompson relinquished the CEO role to James Wilde, with Thompson taking up the Chairman role. Both left the Company in 2004, when the leadership was transferred to Brian McGowan
as Chairman (appointed in 2004) and Doug Flynn as CEO (appointed in 2005) who presided over a succession of profit warnings, mainly as a result of the integration of the newly acquired Target Express parcel delivery firm into the existing City Link division.
During this period, the Rentokil Tropical Plants business, a which had expanded globally through the acquisition of numerous smaller plant rental companies around the world, was rebranded as Ambius.
Rentokil strengthened its foothold in the U.S. residential pest control market in 2006 when it acquired the Reading, Pennsylvania-based J.C. Ehrlich Co, Inc., the fourth largest and the largest privately held pest control company in the US. Today, Rentokil North America consists of a number of regional pest control companies including J.C. Ehrlich, Presto X, and Watch All which span more than 72 local offices covering 32 U.S. states and Toronto.
In 2007, Rentokil sold the Initial Fire, Electronic Security and manned guarding businesses - previously known as Shorrock - to United Technologies Corporation
. However, in 2010, Rentokil Initial acquired Knightsbridge Guarding Ltd and Perception LLP to re-enter the manned security / reception staffing business, to compliment the existing cleaning, washroom, Ambius and pest control businesses as an integrated solution.
In March 2008 the company came under the leadership of Chairman John McAdam and CEO Alan Brown, who had respectively served as CEO and CFO
at ICI
: the pair are famous for the breakup and sale of ICI to Akzo Nobel
.
The divisions are in the following areas, each with a number of sub-divisions:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
business services group. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
FTSE 250 Index
The FTSE 250 Index is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions to and demotions from the index take place quarterly in March, June, September and December...
.
History
The Company was founded in 1924 by Harold Maxwell-LefroyHarold Maxwell-Lefroy
Harold Maxwell-Lefroy was an English entomologist. He was a Professor of Entomology at Imperial College London.-Biography:He was born on 20 January 1877, and attended King's College, Cambridge graduating in 1895....
, Professor of entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
at Imperial College, London, who had been investigating ways to kill Death watch beetle
Death watch beetle
The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, is a woodboring beetle. The adult beetle is long, while the xylophagous larvae are up to long....
s that had infested Westminster Hall, next door to the Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. Lefroy and his assistant produced an anti-woodworm
Woodworm
A woodworm is not a specific species. It is the larval stage of certain woodboring beetles including:*Ambrosia beetles *Bark borer beetle / Waney edge borer *Common furniture beetle...
fluid called Ento-Kill Fluids: ento came from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name for insect. In 1925 he tried to register the name Entokill, but had to choose Rentokil Limited instead. On 14 October 1925, Lefroy was killed in a laboratory when an experiment produced poisonous fumes. His assistant, Elizabeth Eades, took over the running of the company, which was bought in 1957 by British Ratin. British Ratin became Rentokil Group in 1960. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in 1969.
The company became Rentokil Initial following the hostile takeover of its competitor BET (British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
) in 1996, but is still referred to as Rentokil.
For many years Rentokil Initial achieved growth of circa 20% each year under the leadership of then CEO, Sir Clive Thompson: during this period Rentokil Initial was voted "Britain's most admired" company. Thompson relinquished the CEO role to James Wilde, with Thompson taking up the Chairman role. Both left the Company in 2004, when the leadership was transferred to Brian McGowan
Brian McGowan (businessman)
Brian Dennis McGowan is the co-founder of Williams Holdings, one of the United Kingdom's largest conglomerates.-Career:Educated at Isleworth Grammar School, Brian McGowan initially trained at a firm of accountants in London....
as Chairman (appointed in 2004) and Doug Flynn as CEO (appointed in 2005) who presided over a succession of profit warnings, mainly as a result of the integration of the newly acquired Target Express parcel delivery firm into the existing City Link division.
During this period, the Rentokil Tropical Plants business, a which had expanded globally through the acquisition of numerous smaller plant rental companies around the world, was rebranded as Ambius.
Rentokil strengthened its foothold in the U.S. residential pest control market in 2006 when it acquired the Reading, Pennsylvania-based J.C. Ehrlich Co, Inc., the fourth largest and the largest privately held pest control company in the US. Today, Rentokil North America consists of a number of regional pest control companies including J.C. Ehrlich, Presto X, and Watch All which span more than 72 local offices covering 32 U.S. states and Toronto.
In 2007, Rentokil sold the Initial Fire, Electronic Security and manned guarding businesses - previously known as Shorrock - to United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
. However, in 2010, Rentokil Initial acquired Knightsbridge Guarding Ltd and Perception LLP to re-enter the manned security / reception staffing business, to compliment the existing cleaning, washroom, Ambius and pest control businesses as an integrated solution.
In March 2008 the company came under the leadership of Chairman John McAdam and CEO Alan Brown, who had respectively served as CEO and CFO
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
at ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
: the pair are famous for the breakup and sale of ICI to Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. Sales in 2010 were EUR...
.
Operations
The company's divisions operate under the following brands: Rentokil, Initial, City Link and Ambius. The company also operates a division out of Asia Pacific which includes pest control, hygiene and ambius services.The divisions are in the following areas, each with a number of sub-divisions:
- Rentokil Pest Control
- Rentokil Pest Control including JC Ehrlich, Presto-X and Watch All pest control companies in the US
- Rentokil Pest Control Estonia (Rentokil Eesti)
- Rentokil Products (Consumer, Fire Protection & Environmental Health)
- Rentokil Property Care
- Rentokil Pest Control including JC Ehrlich, Presto-X and Watch All pest control companies in the US
- Ambius
- Initial Textiles & Hygiene
- Initial Textiles
- Initial Hygiene
- Initial Medical
- Initial Cleanrooms
- Initial Facilities
- Initial Business Services
- Initial Specialist Services
- Initial Commercial Services
- Rentokil Specialist Hygiene
- City Link