Rentokil North America has broadened its footprint in the Southeastern US through the acquisition of Heron Home & Outdoor based in Apopka, Florida.
Heron, founded in 2002, is largely a lawn care business (over 2/3 of total revenue is lawn, tree and shrub). The firm has continued to experience rapid growth (20%+ per year) since inception. In 2010, Heron generated $6,651,184 in total revenue growing to over $20 million at the time of the closing.
While you may find it a curious acquisition for Rentokil given that it’s largely a lawn care business, Rentokil didn’t have much of a footprint in Florida and if you’re going to be in the state of Florida, the conventional wisdom is that you have to do lawn as well.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.