Manufacturing Pest Control

Factories in the United States pride themselves not only on creating excellent products, but also on running clean lines devoid of illness-causing contaminants. That’s why factory pest control is such an important part of production. When it comes to manufacturing, pests pose a serious threat to your final product, the health of your workers, and your reputation. Smithereen understands what it takes to provide a pest free environment so you can focus your time on your business and bottom line.

Pests like rats, mice, cockroaches, birds and even bed bugs can derail your line quickly. If you are striving for an outstanding score on a third-party audit or just having a pest free environment and comfortable environment for your employees; our team of trained technicians and specialists will partner with you to ensure your goal is reached.

Signs of the Presence of Common Pests at Your Facility

Before you begin to implement pest control in food processing plants or other kinds of manufacturing, your first step should involve ascertaining whether or not you already have an active infestation. A pest-control professional can help determine existing pest populations, but you can also follow several simple steps, such as:

Examining finished products and raw goods for signs of damage. Pests may spoil, damage, or partially consume either your manufactured goods or the inputs that go into them. Examine inventories for bites marks, marred packaging, eggs, worms, or other signs of contamination.
Searching for excrement. Piles of droppings, splashes of urine, tufts of fur, oily excretions, and other types of evidence left behind by pests as they come and go can indicate a problem.
Visual and auditory sightings. If you or your employees hear squeaks, caws, skittering, or some similar sound, you likely have a pest problem. The same holds true when you actually see insects, rodents, or birds.

How We Secure a Manufacturing Facility from Unwanted Pests

For many years, pest-control professionals believed that the best way to implement pest control in food industry (and pretty much every other kind of contexts) was to spray, spray, spray. However, the limitations of such an approach soon showed themselves. Not only was the overuse of chemical remediation measures expensive, but it also exposed the environment and individuals to undue risk — and it wasn’t very effective overall.

The 1970s saw the development of integrated pest management (IPM), an approach that combined a minimalist approach to chemical pest control with a knowledge of pest life cycles, mechanical exclusion, and preventative steps. IPM has become a worldwide approach that’s tough on pests while remaining safe for people and the planet.

Common Pests in Manufacturing Facilities

Pests pop up in all sorts of different ways and places, but there are some that are more common in manufacturing than in other businesses. Some of these include:

Cockroaches. A hardy scourge throughout the world, cockroaches are drawn to any place that offers them shelter or water.
Ants. You don’t have to manufacture food in order to develop an ant problem. Tough and able to travel long distances, ants will approach any area that offers them food, such as uncovered trash cans or break rooms.
Pantry Pests (e.g., weevils, moths, beetles). Part of any pest control checklist for food industry production involves ensuring that various kinds of pantry pests don’t spoil raw or finished goods.
Rodents. Much like cockroaches, mice and rats can hide themselves away and introduce numerous pathogens in a manufacturing setting.

Pest Control Methods for Manufacturing Facilities

When it comes to pest control steps for manufacturing facilities, an IPM approach will implement the following broad procedures:

Detecting Pests. The very first step to take in dealing with pests in manufacturing contexts is to identify and detect the creatures you’re dealing with. You can only eliminate infestations if you start with proper knowledge.
Combating Pests. Once you’ve identified the pests and understand their life cycles, you can effectively eliminate colonies.
Pest Prevention. The final step of pest remediation involves ensuring that pests don’t return. This typically involves blocking access points and eliminating conditions that caused pests to want to gain access in the first place (e.g., available food and water).

Pest Control or IPM?

We’ve been using the terms “IPM” and “pest control” synonymously, but it’s worth noting that their denotative definitions are different. Historically, pest control means solely employing chemical elimination methods to deal with invasive and irritating creatures. IPM, meanwhile, is a holistic approach that blends preventative measures with chemical solutions. It’s also much more effective in the long run, which is why you should always select a pest-control company with an IPM focus.

Pest Control Procedures in Manufacturing & Industrial Facilities

When your manufacturing facility absolutely needs top-tier integrated pest management services, reach out to Smithereen Pest Management Services. We have more than a century of experience in helping clients in every field protect their properties from insects, rodents, and wildlife. What’s more, we’ve received certifications from and memberships in the U.S. Green Building Council, National Pest Management Association, the IPM Institute of North America, and more. Contact us today!