Specialty Consultants to celebrate 20-year milestone

LOGO: SPECIALTY CONSULTANTS

On Aug. 1, Specialty Consultants, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based market research firm serving the structural pest control, turf and ornamental, and other specialty markets, will celebrate its 20th year in business.

It was founded in 2000 by Gary Curl, whose career includes 25 years of developing products, marketing, and managing businesses in the specialty products arena. Curl’s partner in the company is Rich Kalik, who has more than two decades of experience within the specialty markets, while holding roles in marketing, sales, communications and logistics.

Specialty Consultants regularly publishes in-depth syndicated analyses of leading professional product markets. It also works one-on-one with individual clients to develop custom research. Recent proprietary studies include:

• Fly Control In and Around U.S. Cattle, Swine, and Equine Facilities
• Termite Control Market – Brand Awareness, Usage, and Satisfaction
• Turf Insecticide and Fungicide Market – Brand Awareness, Usage, and Satisfaction Among Golf Course Superintendents and Lawn Care Operators
• An Analysis of the U.S. Aquatic Herbicide Market
• An Analysis of Mole Control on Golf Courses and in Professional Lawn Care
• An Analysis of the U.S. Commercial Rodent Control Market

Its next strategic analysis on the professional pest management industry is scheduled to be released in March 2021. Findings from its most recently published report, as reported by PMP in April, include:

• Recurring revenue in 2019 accounted for 81.6 percent of the residential pest control service revenue.
• More than 1.1 million post-construction termite treatments were completed in 2019, although Specialty Consultants Partner Rich Kalik notes that he and his team “expect that number to fall below 1 million in 2020” because of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affecting real-estate transactions.
• Similarly, Kalik notes, with many restaurants, stores and other commercial accounts suspending service during the pandemic, Specialty Consultants predicts that the total industry revenue could decline by as much as $1 billion in 2020.
• However, Specialty Consultants predicts that the “residential service sector may be spared somewhat,  as pest control operators shift to offering exterior services as they implement ‘social distancing’ from homeowners.”