The story of modern pest control is best understood through the career of experts like Gert Vandercruys, Anticimex Group’ Operations Development Manager. His journey began not in boardroom presentations or automated monitoring centers, but in the field alongside his uncle, catching muskrats, a species known across Belgium for causing severe structural and agricultural disruption.
As Vandercruys grew within the industry—eventually building a career spanning over 33 years, the last 13 with Anticimex—his personal path directly mirrored a massive shift across the entire sector: moving from reactive eradication to proactive, data-driven prevention.
The food industry: from audit compliance to true prevention
The transformation in the food sector illustrates this evolution. Over the past 15 years, pest management in food production has evolved from a reactive chore to a strategic, preventive discipline.
- The early 1990s: Pest control contracts were frequently signed simply to clear basic audit compliance checkboxes, rather than to establish robust pest management protocols.
- The commercial audit catalyst: Major multinational food giants—such as Danone, Pepsi, and McDonald’s—began imposing strict commercial audit standards on suppliers. This forced a complete reframe of the discipline.
- Evolving roles: Companies like Anticimex shifted from mere exterminators to strategic educators. Technicians now actively train customer quality teams on preventive routines and audit readiness, positioning auditors as strategic partners rather than adversaries.
In many parts of the world today, mid-sized and large food enterprise operations have fully adopted a prevention-first mindset. Smaller local operations—like neighborhood bakeries and butcher shops—are steadily following suit as commercial and regulatory standards expand.
Security and access challenges
High-security facilities present unique operational challenges. While servicing a major client’s data center in Belgium, Vandercruys worked under strict constraints, including mandatory annual security clearances, continuous on-site security escorts, and confidentiality agreements regarding the location and brand name of the facility.
Similar security demands exist across other critical sectors serviced by high-level technicians, including:
- Nuclear facilities & EU governmental facilities: Requiring specialized security permits and background checks.
- Air catering & shipping harbors: Requiring customs, port, and airside safety accreditations.
- Correctional facilities: Involving strict contraband controls and escort protocols.
Digital remote monitoring devices offer a powerful advantage in restricted-access environments. With connected sensors monitoring activity around the clock, technicians only need to perform physical site visits when actual activity is flagged or during annual contractual inspections.
Pre-construction inspections: stopping pests before the concrete dries
The most effective moment to secure a facility against pests is before it ever opens its doors. Carrying out pre-inspection and structural proofing during the construction phase delivers up to 80% of the total long-term prevention value.
By identifying potential gaps, utility penetration risks, and architectural vulnerabilities before racks, machinery, and cables are installed, companies avoid costly retrofits later.
Today, Gert is a passionate advocate for the Anticimex Methodology. He travels globally across different Anticimex regional platforms, demonstrating through real-life cases and hands-on field work why root cause analysis, proofing, prevention, and digital monitoring are so effective.