In this feature we ask a professional pest manager to share the journey they’ve taken within the pest control industry. We spoke with Ray Franklin from MRP Pest Control in WA about the evolution of his family business over the past 80 years.
MRP stands for Maxwell, Robinson and Phelps, named after the three men who started the business back nearly 80 years ago. Their story begins against the backdrop of an incredible period in history.
Owen Robinson and Bob Phelps were good friends who worked together at the agricultural business Elder Smith & Co. before the second world war broke out. Joining the war effort, they were captured at the Fall of Singapore in 1942 and held at Changi Prison. It was there that they met Aubrey Maxwell, who had a pest control business in Singapore at the time. The three of them became good friends and agreed that if they survived the war, they would come back to Perth and start a pest control company together. When the war ended, they did exactly that. Maxwell, Robinson & Phelps Pest Control was started in 1949. Customer records go back as far as 1952, with a receipt for work carried out at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Ray Franklin (pictured above with wife Maureen) bought the business from Bob Phelps and his wife Maureen in December 2006. “They were wonderful people,” he says. “They supported me a great deal after the purchase and they became very close friends with me and my wife Michelle.”
The purchase of MRP was Mr Franklin’s first venture into pest control. His previous experience was in wheatbelt farming, and he had owned several different businesses before entering the pest industry. Mr Franklin tells us that he was looking for a business that had been in existence for a long time and would offer him long-term stability. MRP had a good reputation and had been looking after clients like Perth Children’s Hospital for more than 50 years.
The business has continued to grow and expand over the years. At the time of purchase the team comprised around six technicians and now it has 13. Mr Franklin is proud that MRP remains one of WA’s most trusted pest control companies.
When he bought the business it was about 50/50 residential and commercial work. Today it is closer to 90% commercial, which was a deliberate decision. “We’ve found that commercial clients are very loyal if we do the right thing and look after them,” he explains. “It’s unusual for WA, but MRP is around 5% termite to 95% general pest control. It’s really just a natural result of moving more into commercial work.”
When asked about staff, Mr Franklin proudly reports that Greg Hinks was his longest-term employee. He was with the company for 41 years before retiring in 2020. When Covid hit and his travel plans fell through, he came back and stayed with MRP for another year until it was over.
Mr Franklin’s wife joined the business in 2010. His daughter Ashlee Franklin started out supporting her mother in accounts and then worked her way up to become the company’s operations manager.
When asked about the difficulties encountered when buying into a business, Mr Franklin says that he was very fortunate, in that the previous owners offered him a lot of guidance. “They had some key people who were easy to work with and aligned with our values. One of those was Barry Sharp, who had been with Bob for a long time and was a great support to us coming in. It was a smoother transition than we probably had any right to expect.”
For a core supplier, MRP chose Agserv. “Our relationship with Agserv really comes down to our relationship with Richard Douglas. He has been very good to us. Any time we’ve needed answers or support, he’s always helped us out.”
Mr Franklin says that the biggest changes that he has encountered since the taking over the business have been around safety – the safety of his staff, the chemicals that they use, and how they’re handled and applied. “There is a lot more awareness now about making sure staff are protected, clients are protected, and the surrounding environment is considered when chemicals are being applied. That awareness has grown a lot since 2006 and it’s something we take seriously.”
When asked about plans for the future, Mr Franklin said, “We aim to keep building a good company with good people who deliver good results. We go by three values: do the right thing, do the best you can, and make sure you show people you care. As long as we stick to those, we’re on the right track.”
What’s one piece of advice he would give to others starting out in the industry? “One thing I have learned in business, and with MRP in particular, is that if you look after your people and create a culture where they can thrive, learn and grow, they will look after the clients and do the right thing.
“We get a lot of good reviews from clients about our staff and the work they do, and that is very rewarding as an employer. When something isn’t done right, our team just knows to go back and fix it – not because we tell them to, but because that’s the culture we’ve built. The client’s experience always comes first.”
