Pestworld Magazine Focusing on the Business of Pest Management
Future Proof Your Business with a Sprayer Upgrade
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. And when you get off on the wrong foot with someone, convincing them to change their mind is tough, no matter how hard you try.
That’s true in all walks of life, but in pest management, the pros will tell you, it’s incredibly easy to create negative feelings that are hard to overcome. If you’re interested in outmaneuvering the competition and growing your public-facing pest management business, it pays to consider every detail of the impression you make.
For example, how you and your team connect with customers and communities can either lead to callbacks and referrals — or the sound of crickets chirping in the night.
Ironically, one way to avoid the latter is by making less noise during your service calls. According to AC Lockyer, founder of Disruptor Manufacturing, upgrading to all-electric spraying equipment accomplishes that while communicating positive community values and increasing the profile and sales presentation of pest management businesses.
Because electric equipment is much quieter than gas-powered rigs, it’s far less disruptive to clients and neighbors during those early-morning calls. Upgrading to electric also signals a commitment to sustainability and efficiency and a forward-thinking approach to doing business.
Given today’s changing political, business, and consumer expectations regarding the environment, Lockyer firmly believes that pest management businesses willing to walk the sustainability walk with electric rigs from Disruptor are best positioned to grab market share and become lasting community stakeholders.
Robust, in-field serviceable, lower-footprint Disruptor equipment meets all those challenges. Upgrading your spray systems through Disruptor can be a fundamental business differentiator that shows customers, and the public, that you’re in it for the long haul.
“Consumers want to work with companies that make it easier for them to be good stewards of the environment,” Lockyer said. “It’s one thing to separate your trash from your recycling in your home, but when you can hire a company with your values, that’s appealing.”
From Soft Washing to Pest Management
A third-generation service-business entrepreneur, Lockyer took a path to pest management that may not be as direct as one might think. It started in high school, where he developed a passion for agriculture and joined the Future Farmers of America.
That brought him to landscaping and plant nursery management, where he familiarized himself with spraying equipment. The light-bulb moment came when his father hired a house painter who pressure-washed his home’s roof. Now there’s a good idea for a business, Lockyer thought. But there were problems.
“I soon figured out you cannot pressure wash roofs — you just sandblast your shins with all the aggregate coming off them,” Lockyer said. “At that point, what people now call soft washing was born.”
As owner of Mallard Systems in the 1990s, Lockyer developed the innovative technology for gentler roof washing. Later, as owner of SoftWash Systems, he turned that tech into a global supply chain business.
SoftWash now partners with more than 220 operators in nine countries. With soft washing, the link to pest management becomes evident.
“It’s like pressure washing and pest management had a baby,” Lockyer said. “What’s growing on your house isn’t dirt. It’s algae, mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, biofilm, and bugs.”
That makes soft washing tech highly appropriate in pest management. In 2018, Lockyer founded Disruptor to design, build, and market electric sprayers to pest management firms, pool and window cleaners, and others.
“We named it Disruptor because we created a completely new category and raised the standard in the spraying industry,” he said.
Better Than Gas
Because Disruptor’s tech was born to subdue biological agents, it’s natural for pest management. There’s a lifetime warranty on non-wearing parts, including the extra-thick tanks, and a one-year guarantee on perishable parts. Everything about Disruptor’s approach is intended to overcome the challenges of handling hazardous materials with rigs designed to be highly robust and in-field serviceable.
Beyond that, Disruptor’s use of 12-volt direct current technology lies at the heart of the company’s value proposition. That’s been the case with everything Lockyer’s done with sprayer technology since his start with Mallard — with no performance loss.
Flow rates for Disruptor pumps range from 1.5 to 7+ GPM at pressure ratings from 45 to 250 psi. Disruptor can build a system for arbor work that shoots 65 feet in the air at 7 GPM and 110 psi.
It can also build a power sprayer with remote control and a pulse width modulator that can spray at 5 GPM and 110 psi and then quickly click down to a 1.5 GPM and 45 psi so service techs can get very detailed on where they put their chemicals.
There should be no worries concerning capacity for lawn treatment or termite pretreatment on slabs. A typical Disruptor termite pretreatment solution shoots 7 GPM at 200 psi.
“That gives you the ability to go into these neighborhoods and pretreat slab after slab with the right dose rates and the right saturations, but also move quickly from one slab to another,” Lockyer said.
Selling Sustainability
Keep in mind that as the owner of a 1960 Ford truck capable of doing 150 mph, Lockyer is a fan of gas power. What’s more, the gas-fueled 1978 Burt Reynolds movie Smokey and the Bandit served as inspiration for Disruptor Manufacturing’s logo.
Lockyer also recognizes that early electric sprayers in the pest management space couldn’t produce what their gas-powered competitors could. Disruptor’s relentless pursuit of innovation enables it to deliver winning all-electric customer solutions to a modern generation of professionals and customers.
“I love gas engines, but the fact is that no matter who’s in the administration here in the United States, there’s a worldwide movement to go electric,” Lockyer said. “People everywhere are embracing it, and customers want it.”
In terms of noise abatement, imagine arriving in a residential neighborhood at 8 a.m. with a rig that makes no sound. There’s almost no chance your presence will interrupt households or cause inconvenience.
Then think about the impression that makes on behalf of the customer. No one wants to be the neighbor who disrupts a peaceful neighborhood morning. No condo or townhome neighborhood wants to be known for its noisiness.
Small gas engines are also terrible polluters. If there’s a better way to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability in pest management than getting rid of gas rigs, Lockyer wants to know about it.
“It’s all about feelings — people feel good when they can show they’re doing something for the environment,” Lockyer said. “We’ve got systems that recharge the batteries on the truck as you drive down the road, and you can add solar for charging on the go and plugging in when you get back to the shop.”
Get Ahead of the Culture Curve
The bottom line is that things are changing regarding sustainability and gas-powered engines in the pest management industry. Although pest control company owners likely prioritize efficiency and serviceability, there’s no turning back from the imperative to communicate sustainability values to a public increasingly sensitized to accept them.
The movement is already underway from a political standpoint, with California poised to outlaw small gas engines under 25 horsepower. Other jurisdictions are sure to follow.
Disruptor addresses those concerns while demonstrating to pest management pros that they don’t have to compromise. They’re going to get the flow, accuracy, and dependability they need. The trucks will be able to go out and spray every day without breaking down.
Disruptor claims intellectual property, including graduated tank straps, hose reels, and control panels, which distinguishes it from other providers. Patent-pending push-to-signal technology, for example, generates an audible and tactile response when switching between up to six spray products carried on a single skid.
“We do not shortcut anywhere on our systems, and they’re not benchmarked against anybody else,” Lockyer said. “We strive every day to build the absolute best equipment we can, and we have innovations nobody else has.”
Lockyer is a dedicated association partner. Disruptor exhibited at PestWorld in 2021, and Lockyer values the camaraderie of professional relationships. That makes Disruptor an ideal partner for any NPMA pest management business looking to make the right impression on customers today and in the future.
“When you need to take control of your systems — your spraying systems but also the policies, procedures, and protocols surrounding how your equipment helps your company grow — we’re the company you need to get in touch with,” Lockyer said.
Visit Disruptor Manufacturing on the web to learn more about what it can do to optimize your business profile and sales presentation through all-electric sprayer equipment. To start a conversation, fill out the contact form on the website or call AC Lockyer and the Disruptor team at 407-900-2868.
