The Wright Group and Orkin: An Award-Winning Partnership Built to Keep Flavor In and Pests Out
For The Wright Group, quality is a key ingredient in everything they do. And pest management is no exception. Quality always comes first, which has earned them a reputation for having one of the most rigorous quality assurance programs in the country to help ensure the safety of their nutritious products.
Headquartered in Crowley, La., The Wright Group maintains three U.S. locations in Plain City, Ohio, Modesto, Ca. and Crowley, La. The Wright Group is a leading provider of customized nutritional blends, premixes and ingredients to companies in the functional food and nutritional supplement markets. Through Orkin’s proactive and environmentally responsible Food Safety Precision Protection™ service, The Wright Group has built an outstanding Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program – and its partnership with Orkin has earned them their third IPM Partner Award, co-presented by Orkin, The IPM Institute of North America and NSF International.
To learn more about their award-winning IPM program, we spoke with Mickey Halls, plant manager at The Wright Group’s Plain City location.
Why is IPM so critical to your business?
The number one reason IPM is crucial for The Wright Group, and any food manufacturing plant, is that it is designed to help ensure all of our food, beverages and supplements are produced under the most hygienic conditions, making them safe for our customers.
Why did you choose and continue to work with Orkin?
The bottom line is that Orkin has been around for 100 years, so we knew they were experts in the field. Throughout our partnership, Orkin has always been reliable and responsive – exactly what we need for our business. Our Orkin Pest Specialist is critical to the relationship we’ve built over the years. He works hand-in-hand with our Quality Department and is well-known by our entire staff.
How are employees at The Wright Group included in your award-winning program?
The entire plant is part of the process, which has resulted in a great program with Orkin! It’s a team effort to ensure that our pest management program is as strong as possible so pests stay outside where they belong.
One of the topics we cover in weekly staff training at The Wright Group is how pest management and food safety go hand in hand. It’s a shared goal to ensure there is no cross-contamination or other issues pests can cause. Orkin will modify our program as the seasons or other conditions change to help reduce pest threats.
What results have you seen from your partnership with Orkin?
The Wright Group’s presence and business in Ohio has experienced a lot of growth in the past five years, and we know Orkin has contributed to that growth. There are several pest control companies in the area, but Orkin’s people make the difference. They are committed, knowledgeable and prepared for anything. Most importantly, they integrate seamlessly into our organization. Orkin helps us achieve our goals, so we’re proud to talk about this award and our partnership!