From PestWorld to partnership: How Rockwell Labs acquired Aprehend

Rockwell Labs has just acquired Aprehend, the game-changing biopesticide that’s been turning the tables on bed bug control for several years. This isn’t just another acquisition; it’s a strategic move that unites two innovators in the pest control industry.

I had the privilege of sitting down for an exclusive conversation with Dr. Cisse Spragins, founder and CEO of Rockwell Labs, and Dr. Nina Jenkins, founder and CTO at ConidioTec, the company behind Aprehend, to unpack what this means for the industry.

How it happened

Dr. Spragins, who is also a Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Famer (Class of 2018), says it all started with a casual conversation at PestWorld 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she told ConidioTec CEO Don McCandless she admired Aprehend and would be interested if they ever decided to sell. A year later, at PestWorld 2024 in Denver, Colo., Dr. Jenkins approached her and said she was ready to talk. Negotiations began soon after.

“We’ve never done an acquisition,” says Dr. Spragins. “But I’ve admired this product for years. It’s like nothing else in structural pest control.”

Why Aprehend fits with Rockwell

“They did a fantastic job,” says Dr. Spragins of ConidioTec’s research, development and rollout of the product. “There is no other biopesticide like it used in structural pest control. I know this product is different than anything I’ve ever done. So why wouldn’t I want it? I’m really excited about it, and it opens up new possibilities.”

Dr. Jenkins adds, “We’ve been talking about Aprehend and CimeXa, a Rockwell Labs product, for years. ‘When you can’t use Aprehend, you can use CimeXa.’ We started calling it the one-two punch for bed bugs.”

Distribution and support

Aprehend will continue to be sold directly through Rockwell’s e-commerce platform to existing customers, as well as through distributors nationwide. When this conversation took place in early August, just days after the deal was announced, orders were already shipping from Rockwell’s facility. Production was set up prior to the sale closing with the help of ConidioTec staff and equipment. It allowed Rockwell to start with inventory on hand and minimize downtime during the transition.

Looking ahead to innovation

While the team’s focus is now on integration, Dr. Spragins says biopesticides offer plenty of opportunities. “We’ve got to digest this first, but having a starting point like Aprehend opens doors,” she sys. “I’m already thinking about label expansions and an additional use for the spray kit.”

For Dr. Jenkins, the decision was about both product fit and trust. “Rockwell makes many low-risk pesticides, so Aprehend fits perfectly in their portfolio,” she adds. “Cisse and I have always gotten along well, and we handled the deal directly without brokers. It was a great experience.”

From the start, Dr. Jenkins says, she never aimed for ConidioTec to become a large biopesticide company. “We wanted to prove the technology worked, commercialize it responsibly, and then pass it on when the time was right,” she says. “This is that moment.”

Continuing the legacy

Dr. Spragins says Aprehend works like nothing else on the market and remains free from resistance issues. “It’s a highly effective product that has proven itself in the field,” she reports. “Combined with solid application techniques, it can be a real difference maker in tough bed bug situations.”

All of Aprehend’s training content, case studies and resources have moved to RockwellLabs.com, keeping valuable knowledge available for pest management professionals (PMPs).

Dr. Jenkins says the partnership shows how science and field application can work together to improve pest management. “By looking closely at the biology and behavior of bed bugs, PMPs can take a more targeted and effective approach,” she says. “That’s been my goal from the start.”

For more insights, check out the full interview with Drs. Spragins and Jenkins, available exclusively on Pest Posse TV. Watch it for free today at PestPosseTV.com/programs/todays-pmp-breaking-news.

Brusca is co-owner of The Pest Posse. He can be reached online at info@thepestposse.net.