Issue Date: 10/01/07, Meet Jim Conroy, Our First-Ever PMP Innovator of the Year
TheCrevice is small in stature, but mighty in popularity among pest professionals
Heather Gooch

In July 2007, Pest Management Professional profiled Jim Conroy, president of Conroy Exterminating Services in Great Neck, N.Y., regarding a little product he invented and sells through his other business, Blue Creek Industries: TheCrevice.

The demurely sized bait holder has come a long way from its cardboard prototype. Designed to hold four lines of any manufacturer's gel bait, the 2-inch-long plastic device features small protrusions around its cylinder shape so that no matter how it's dropped into placement, the bait will not be negatively affected. Conroy invented the product after years of frustration of using excessive bait just to get at hard-to-reach areas. As he noted in the article, "I literally went from using 20 grams at some accounts to about half that. Plus, there's no hassle of having to scrape old, dried bait at a later visit because anything not taken by the pest stays on the product."

Two versions of TheCrevice are available: The "place and toss" version was created first to place behind stoves and other hard-to-reach harborages, while the newer "peel and stick" units are designed for use in cabinet walls. Conroy took care to ensure the product was easy to relocate and remove without scraping.

Conroy stresses that the support of his colleagues and friends in this process has been immeasurable.

"My friend Charlie Capobianco works from Florida for no remuneration, creating and sending e-mail letters and ads to pest management companies, school districts, building management companies and other potentially interested clients," he notes. "His support has been invaluable to the promotion of TheCrevice."

Since its introduction about three years ago, TheCrevice has been well-received — so much so, in fact, that Pest Management Professional's readers voted it the best PMP innovation from among a very talented pool of other inventions (coverage of the runners-up).

Conroy, gracious as always, was honored to be recognized by his peers. "This was such a nice surprise," he says. "It's really a personal achievement, since it's something I invented. You know, it's such a risk to start up something like this — you go into debt and there's a lot of uncertainty at first. But now it's going well, and although we're still small, we're growing."

While still marketing to pest management professionals (PMPs) directly, Conroy is also starting to get TheCrevice in front of facilities managers, school boards, and even London's Heathrow Airport. "My product is currently flying on international flights," he says of the deal with the high-profile customer. Continuing in an international vein, British-based distributor Killgerm Chemicals Ltd has recently begun selling the product in Europe.

But Conroy notes that by exposing TheCrevice to these sectors, the managers will know to write it into their bid specs and ask for it by name from their PMP.

FAVORABLE RESULTS

To spread the word, Conroy has mailed free samples to PMPs and handed them out at industry trade shows. In fact, he estimates he's probably given out more than 10,000 free packs, three units to a pack.

Chris Boyle, president of Global Pest Services in Carmel, Maine, was one such lucky recipient.

"A sample came in the mail in mid-summer, and I figured I'd try it out," he recalls. "I had a good application with it, so I've been using it ever since."

Boyle, whose customers are mostly residential, notes that using TheCrevice is a great tool in keeping with an integrated pest management (IPM) approach.

"Legislation encourages more baiting and less liquid applications," he states. "This invention makes it possible to place bait in more areas. It also looks more professional and prevents baits from being absorbed, which makes the bait last longer. It's a great all-around product."

Charles Osborne, service manager of Mug-A-Bug in Colorado Springs, Colo., agrees.

"I have faced the problems of needing a 'crevice' in which to put my gel bait," he says. "I have used homemade creations to get the material in the right spot, but I think it is a great idea: It has been a long time coming."

PMPs are finding it just as useful for commercial accounts. Joe Jeffords, owner of J&J Pest Away in Spring Hill, Fla., says TheCrevice is a natural fit for "commercial applications trying to get baits under large equipment and storage racks and shelves."

Besides the efficiency of using less bait, TheCrevice is also a favorite because it raises the bar on perceived professionalism by the public.

"I have clients that do not like the bait gel on their cabinetry or countertops, and this seems to do the trick," says Maria Luna, office manager of Bugs Are Gone Exterminating in Brooklyn, N.Y. "It's a great idea, and it works."

Jerry Schappert, owner of The Bug Doctor in Ocala, Fla., agrees that it allows treatment to be more stealthlike: "There's nothing worse than 'visible' yellow globs in kitchen cabinets that are hard to clean."

But the last word should, perhaps, go to L.J. Cohen, president of Pest Fog in Corpus Christi, Texas: "Every time I see [an innovation like this], I slap my forehead and say to myself, 'Why didn't I think of that?'"

Don't worry, L.J. There's always the 2008 PMP Innovator of the Year

Dear Jim,

Wow, this is above and beyond any other manufacturer I've encountered in my six years working this office.  I have no doubt you and your company will go far because of your attention to detail and follow up. 

Attack Pest Control

Reprinted from the International Facility Management Journal, Essential New Products Section

Innovative pest management device protects furnishings, equipment

A unique new device produced by Blue Creek Industries Inc. aids facilities managers in the protection and appearance of their organization's interior furnishings. It offers managers the ability to restrict the application of gel baits directly onto their interior surfaces. "TheCrevice" is a patented insect gel bait presentation device.

In today's world most pest control applications made on the interior of structures are performed utilizing gel bait applications which adhere to an integrated pest management program. But depositing these gel baits directly on to the surfaces of desks, pantry cabinets, computer terminals, moldings, etc., is causing the unsightly sticky gel bait applications to be very obvious to employees, housekeeping staff and management.

Facility management professionals now have the option to stop this practice by adopting "TheCrevice" for gel bait applications. The unique design allows the applicator to apply the gel baits into the crevices in the device and then place the device where intended. The design also stops other adjacent objects from accidentally touching the gel. The device and bait may be easily removed when they become old or no longer needed. A second version allows the pest professional to access almost inaccessible areas with baits without over applying the gels.

Let me first thank you for the prompt service in getting the samples to us.
Being a small company (2 men & myself) on the east coast, we do not have the volume of customers that the larger companies service. We do pride ourselves on our reputation and it has always been about quality.
Since discovering The Crevice, I feel our quality will improve even more (no more gel bait directly on anything). We have just started using The Crevice and we can already see the positive impact it is having on our customers.
Thank you for a sensible and cost efficient product.

R.S.