Transforming the Pest Control Industry: The Giridhar Pai Associates Story – Part I
After two decades in the pest control services industry, my deep understanding of customers’ needs and challenges has shaped my perspective on its critical gaps. While serving as business head at Pest Control India Private Limited (PCI) and Pestinct Pro Solutions Private Limited (Pestinct), two of India’s largest pest control companies, I found a recurring theme: customers increasingly demanded that Pest Control Operators (PCOs) provide effective pest exclusion, not just routine treatments.
The Challenge: Pest Exclusion as a Missing Link
Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) typically inspect customer premises before initiating contracts and conduct periodic follow-ups to identify structural vulnerabilities that allow pest entry or harbour pests. While large enterprises often employ in-house maintenance teams or hire contractors to address pest entry issues, most small businesses lack these resources. They are unable to act on PMP inspection reports.
Such PCO-customer disconnect leads to frequent disagreements: PCOs attribute recurring pest problems to unresolved structural issues, while customers expect comprehensive solutions regardless of building maintenance. Lost in this debate is the pivotal role of pest exclusion or “proofing, a strategy that benefits both customers and PMPs by preventing pests from entering in the first place.
Recognising the need for robust pest exclusion, I prioritised this approach when founding Giridhar Pai Associates LLP (GPA) in 2020. My mission: to identify and introduce products that empower PCOs to address this unmet need.
Breakthrough Collaboration: Introducing RodeXit to India
In August 2021, a pivotal connection was made when international business consultant Dr Raja Mahendran introduced me to Bjorn von Ryberg, General Manager of RodeXit N.A. ApS. I quickly recognised the potential of RodeXit’s All-In-One rodent seal—a Santoprene polymer strip reinforced with 10 stainless steel wires, independently tested and certified by the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) as highly rat-resistant. Despite its proven effectiveness, RodeXit was only available in the U.S.A until Raja’s introduction enabled GPA to secure exclusive distribution rights for India. GPA made India the second country to have the RodeXit rodent seal.
In March 2022, we received our first RodeXit shipment. With Bjorn’s assistance, we distributed sample RodeXit strips to PCOs and end-users alike. Adoption was initially slow: our first major order, a 25-metre roll for a brewery, arrived in July 2022, followed by a significant 100-metre order from a large spice manufacturer in January 2023.
Sales momentum grew rapidly after March 2023, when Hiraman Rathod’s Seva Facility Services Pvt. Ltd. (Seva Facility Services) helped us create engaging product and installation videos. These resources showcased RodeXit’s features and practical applications on doors and shutters, making the benefits tangible for both PCOs and their customers.
Seva Facility Services became a driving force, standardising RodeXit installations across Indian cities. At the same time, Pecopp Pest Control Services Pvt. Ltd. and others also began deploying long RodeXit lengths at customer sites. In fewer than 4 years, GPA successfully demonstrated the value of rodent-proofing to the Indian pest control industry.
Expanding Solutions: The Launch of Rodent-Proof Fill Fabric
Building on RodeXit’s success, GPA introduced yet another innovative rodent-proofing solution to India. When Spain’s Barlesa S.L., represented by owner, Cano Goncal Dies sought an Indian partner to distribute its premium fill fabric, Bjorn, having witnessed GPA’s dedication and rising RodeXit sales, recommended us. We branded this solution as “Rodent Proof” and quickly imported our first shipment in November 2025, giving Indian PCOs a second, high-quality option for rodent exclusion.
Our timing was ideal, as awareness of rodent-proof fabric was already high, thanks to the U.S.-based Xcluder brand, which had previously been distributed in India through its Indian subsidiary. However, with Xcluder now available only via direct import from the U.S.A., an inconvenient option for most Indian customers, GPA stepped in to fill the gap. As with RodeXit, Seva Facility Services embraced Rodent Proof Fill Fabric, helping create installation tutorials and driving market adoption.
Enabling PCOs: New Revenue Streams and Enhanced Profitability
The Indian pest control landscape includes three types of PCOs:
1. Those who do not offer rodent management and thus have little interest in rodent proofing.
2. Those who offer rodent management but hesitate to provide proofing due to a lack of confidence or reluctance to invest in new services.
3. Those who already provide rodent proofing—often with suboptimal materials like white cement, chicken mesh, insect screens, or polyurethane foam.
GPA’s focus is on empowering the third group to deliver comprehensive rodent management packages that include professional-grade proofing. We identify such PCOs, guide them on technical feasibility, and connect them with experienced partners, such as Seva Facility Services, to ensure high-quality installations.
Rodent Proofing as a Revenue Engine
Rodent proofing offers PCOs a unique, specialised service, one that faces little competition from low-cost providers. By mastering the use of RodeXit and Rodent Proof Fill Fabric-like products, PCOs can:
- Generate New Revenue: Offer installation services or supply materials to clients with their own maintenance teams.
- Establish Long-Term Contracts: Provide annual inspections and maintenance of rodent-proofing measures, creating recurring income streams and opportunities for upselling repairs or upgrades.
- Boost Profit Margins: Shift from labour-intensive trapping and baiting (which only reduce, not eliminate, rodent populations) to proactive exclusion, reducing callbacks and improving operational efficiency.
Successful rodent control begins with advising clients on sanitation and storage improvements, followed by professional exclusion services. With robust proofing in place, PCOs and their technicians can focus on monitoring for rodent signs and maintaining rodent barriers, rather than repeatedly addressing mice and rat occurrences.
Building a Lasting Legacy and Future Innovation
At GPA, we are proud to have established rodent proofing as a niche, profitable service for Indian and Asian PCOs. Our impact is just beginning. In 2026, we will launch the Rodent Proofing Academy, offering workshops to teach PMPs the art and business of exclusion. We also plan to introduce advanced technologies, including night-vision camera monitoring, rodent-detection canine squads, and other sustainable solutions, to transform rodent management further.
Through our pioneering work in rodent proofing, GPA is creating a lasting legacy and setting new standards for pest control in India and beyond.