Rentokil 100 years - Proudly serving you since 1925

For 100 years, we’ve worked hard to protect our customers’ businesses against a range of pests, from rats and mice to birds and crawling and flying insects. Join us as we celebrate a century of innovation, expertise and service excellence in pest control.

1925

Rentokil is born, selling the first timber treatment fluid that combats wood-boring beetles.

1930–40

New products are developed, including beetle powder for kitchens, various insect treatments, a moth treatment, furniture cream and others. Rentokil begins to offer services and products for rodent control.

1950–60s

Rentokil is bought by British Ratin, which later changed its name to Rentokil Group Ltd.

1960–90s

Rentokil goes global with expansion in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, North America, Latin America and the Pacific.

2007

RADAR, the world’s first connected mouse trap, launches.

2014

PestConnect launches — a system of connected devices and an online portal for 24/7 rodent monitoring.

2017

The Power Centre, a global innovation, science and training centre, is established in the UK. Rentokil becomes the leading pest control provider in India.

2018 and 2020

Rentokil wins The Queen’s Awards for Innovation, recognising Lumnia, RADAR and PestConnect as strong, commercially successful innovative products and services.

2022

Rentokil acquires Terminix in the USA and becomes the world’s largest pest control company.

2024

Rentokil Initial is ranked as one of the World’s Best Companies to work for by TIME. The Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center, the first pest control research centre in North America, opens.

2025

Rentokil celebrates 100 years of innovation, expertise and service excellence.

Tried, tested, and trusted for 100 years

As we celebrate a century of pest control expertise, our focus is firmly on the future. From pioneering sustainable solutions to supporting global businesses with advanced pest management, we continue to raise the bar through science, innovation, and partnership. Explore some of our most powerful products and services, shaped by decades of experience and driven by a commitment to help businesses thrive in a changing world.

How pest control has changed in 100 years

Pest control has come a long way since the days of salt powders and terriers chasing rats. In this centennial lookback, we explore the evolution from risky DIY methods and crude chemicals to science-led, sustainable solutions like connected devices and AI-powered monitoring.

Rentokil’s innovation process

Ever wondered how popping-candy cockroaches and AI-powered cameras fit into the same innovation pipeline? At Rentokil, no idea is too weird, as long as it helps solve real pest problems. This article takes you behind the scenes of our R&D process, from blue-sky thinking to global rollouts, showing how we balance bold creativity with scientific rigour, sustainability, and speed.

The reality of global pest control

From venomous vipers in China to rodent-infested cruise ships and hornet stings on tractors, our global technicians face wildly different challenges every day - shaped by climate, culture, and the sheer creativity of pests. To mark 100 years of service, we asked our teams around the world to share their most unforgettable stories.