From pest control to pet industry

The company’s headquarters are located in the north of England on a 120-acre estate, where the only noise pollution comes from the neighbouring cows, sheep and lots of dogs. The company’s owner Stephen Turner hasn’t always worked on products for pets. Armed with just £700, the 25-year-old entrepreneur started the company that was later to become known as Group55 Ltd in 1999. Located in a tiny office and warehouse that didn’t even have toilet facilities, the company sold DIY pest control products. “In 1999 the UK DIY pest control product offering was almost non-existent and I didn’t quite understand why,” explains Stephen Turner, who went on to develop the UK’s largest direct mail order supplier of pest control products. He also worked with one of the world’s largest pest control companies to exponentially expand their retail product offering, which is found today in most UK stores. Developing electrical, mechanical and chemical pest control products firmly established Group55 within the UK pest control industry, but today the company has very little interest in pest control, choosing instead to focus on the pet industry. The reasons why are quite intriguing, as Stephen Turner explained: “The pest control industry is driven by distress purchase. The products are functional, one-off purchases and as such whatever you develop has very little scope for creativity. One day I was in a meeting with my management team and we all looked tired and bored. Work has to be fun and enjoyable – working in the pest control industry just isn’t fun and any enjoyment we had gained from the industry had gone! It was time for a change.” A step into the pet industry Stephen Turner recalls: “I was absolutely certain after our research into the pet industry that we would be able to use our chemistry background, manufacturing and brand-building expertise to challenge the pet industry one sector at a time.” Group55 now has four brands that operate within the pet industry: “Acquiesce” is a range of anti-bark training devices, “Ridovit” a range of hygiene cleaning products, “Strikeback” a line of household flea control products and, most notably, “Animology” is a shampoo and grooming spray brand launched 12 months ago that is taking the dog grooming sector by storm. Since the range was launched, it has found its way into more than 1 000 retail stores, grooming parlours, veterinary surgeries and e-retailers throughout the UK. Internationally Animology is sold in more than 20 countries…