As a senior technician at Nationwide Pest Control in Sydney, John Esquillo is responsible for training the other members of the Nationwide team and takes the lead in trying out new products they are thinking of using.
As a senior technician at Nationwide Pest Control in Sydney, John Esquillo is responsible for training the other members of the Nationwide team and takes the lead in trying out new products they are thinking of using.
Few new releases have made such a big first impression on Mr Esquillo as Seclira WSG, the new multipurpose insecticide from BASF. “It’s very different to the other chemicals out there,” said Mr Esquillo. “I reckon it will be one new product that becomes a primary product we’re using constantly.”
The experienced technician noticed an obvious difference from the first time he applied the new formulation. “It just looks like water. Other products can leave a stain, but when you use Seclira, there’s nothing,” he said. That ‘invisibility’ is a key benefit of Seclira, which is the first non-staining, odourless, broad-spectrum, general insect control product for indoor and outdoor use.
“There’s no residue or smell, which is really good – especially for clients,” he added. Mr Esquillo said he and the rest of the team like to reassure people about the use of chemicals in offices and homes by explaining exactly how the products work. While that approach is mostly very effective, some people do still ‘freak out’. Mr Esquillo believes that switching to an alternative as hard to detect as Seclira will give customers even more confidence.
“We hold a lot of our clients for a long time. We want them to be happy with our treatments and they seem to like this product compared to what we would normally use instead,” he said. Mr Esquillo will be recommending that Nationwide Pest Control begins using Seclira as a standard treatment. “At the moment it’s a bit pricey, but I’m keen to get it out there,” he said. “I’m happy to use it a lot more compared to other products.”
The Nationwide Pest Control team covers a large area – taking in Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, and the Central Coast as well as metropolitan Sydney – and the full range of pest control issues. Mr Esquillo sees Seclira’s versatility as a huge advantage. “Instead of carrying multiple products for most calls, we could just carry that one, which actually saves on cost. And the way I’ve been applying it, I haven’t needed anything else, no gels or whatever.”
While some situations will still need more specialised treatments, Seclira will cover a lot of bases. Mr Esquillo has already seen plenty of proof of its versatility. “I’ve tested it in a lot of areas – including cafes and offices – where there were German cockroaches and it’s worked really well. I’ve gone back a few weeks later and there were no cockroaches… and no marks.
“It’s been great on ants as well. I even used it for mosquitoes on my own back wall and it’s stayed clear,” he said.
Mr Esquillo even thinks Seclira might help Nationwide Pest Control generate a bit of extra income. He says its super solubility reduces downtime and creates the potential to complete more jobs each day. Whether that happens or not, he definitely appreciates not having to clean the spray tank every two or three days, as Seclira mixes into a clear liquid that stays in suspension longer than many older pesticides.
“With other products, you get residue sitting on the bottom, staining the tank. There are no issues with Seclira. I haven’t cleaned my tank for two or three weeks,” he explained.
Mr Esquillo said he will be keen to see how quickly other companies start switching to Seclira. “I do recommend other pest managers try it,” he said. “We don’t see many products that control a whole lot of pests. It would be great for other people to be using it.”
Within his own company, Mr Esquillo sees Seclira as a great fit. “We want the best of the best. That’s what we want to be known for.”
