Silver jubilee year.

(From Gulf Construction)

Saudi Arabia-based Masa Establishment for Pest Extermination Services, which witnessed a near 40 per cent growth in business last year, is now set to further expand its network of offices as a part of its silver jubilee celebrations

"Our strategy for the year includes the opening of three more branches to add strength and reach to the already existing 11 branches including the central head office in Riyadh," says owner and general manager Mousaied Shieshakly

"The main theme of our silver jubilee celebration, which the company will be celebrating for the entire year, is to seriously concentrate on the expansion of its business by opening new branches in Taif, Yanbu and a satellite branch in Al Kharj area to fill the long standing vacuum," he adds. "Undoubtedly, with the construction industry booming in the kingdom this year we see a lot of prospect in the pest control business," he points out. A pioneer pest management professional in Saudi Arabia, Masa has dedicated itself to exterminating pests and termites by providing a clean and hygienic environment in the kingdom

"Our primary role in the construction industry has been to provide customers termite control services at a very competitive price so that newly constructed buildings can be protected from any future damages caused by the subterranean termites in the soil. Towards this end, we have been advocating the importance of pre-construction termite control," says Shieshakly

"With developers aiming towards risk-free investments, pre-construction termite control has become increasingly popular - especially in Saudi Arabia where the soil is favourable for subterranean termites. Already some countries around the world have made pre-construction termite control mandatory by including it in their construction guidelines. On its part, Masa has been emphasising on the need to include this aspect in the kingdom's new constructions guidelines. "Pre-construction treatment is all the more important as it is more difficult to treat and ensure that the chemical is actually applied uniformly once the structure is in place. The best time for termite treatment is before the construction of ground level flooring so that the right dosage of termiticide is applied into the soil in contact with construction elements," he continues

Explaining the various stages of treatment, he says: "Generally, soil treatment is done in three stages: - Foundation treatment: Where the soil along the inside and outside of foundations is treated to prevent termites from gaining access to voids or cracks in foundation; - Slab treatment: The spraying of termiticide around the plumbing, utility entrances, expansion joints, and where two slabs join; - Perimeter treatment: By rodding or trenching around the structure, a continuous barrier is created