DIGITAL PRODUCTS FOR PEST CONTROL
Digital products from eMitter save you the daily manual inspection of all deployed traps, which is required by animal welfare laws. Instead, the boxes and traps are directly connected to servers and cloud applications. Sim-card equipped traps or connection gateways allow 24-7 permanent monitoring from one to tens of thousands of traps worldwide. As soon as a pest enters the trap, the responsible person is informed about it via email, app or interface into your software. He can now directly control the triggered trap and reactivate it and document actions. In addition, high-tech management of the Internet-of-Things devices is possible at any time and worldwide, so you can monitor images, batteries, signal strength and other parameters in real time.
Safe alternative for the food industry
Hygiene standards require the elimination of rodenticides in food processing plants: eMitter uses only non-toxic baits and humane traps.Flexible application possibilities
Energy self-sufficient trap system with interference-free radio connection and simple installation.Complies with German animal protection law
Compliance with the guidelines, as an automatic permanent control, guaranteed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.High transparency
Seamless recording, evaluation and storage of all relevant data (e.g. statistics on infestation levels and rodent species) through online documentation.Reliable monitoring
Immediate death of the rodent in a snap trap, where it remains. Green, sustainable and safe.High efficiency in control
The use of different types of traps enables the best control results.
eMitter – the brand
WE LOVE DIGITAL PEST CONTROL. YOU ALSO?
Many pest control companies around the world are increasingly turning to digital pest products. So IoT-powered traps, motion sensors, camera solutions and artificial intelligence analytics against rodents, but also more and more against insects for fully monitored operations. We kind of invented that in 2006 and we've been the independent leader in alternatives and internet-of-things solutions since then. Thousands of professional pest controllers worldwide - from start-ups to family businesses to corporations - trust Futura's eMitter® products.
However, it's not what you think: digital traps and more weren't invented because poisons are increasingly banned. They were invented by us back then because poisons simply didn't help anymore. Many leading professionals have only used traps against large populations of mice and rats, and of course other solutions in the IPM concept such as waterproofing and co.
When the "switch" from poisons to professional traps like GorillaTraps® happened at that time, there was quickly the problem of daily control - not only because of the animal welfare law, but also because from the professional point of view it is much more efficient to get directly a report about a caught mouse/rat.
So, eMitter was invented back in 2006. An American auditor said at that time at the first customer in Dortmund "this will revolutionize the industry" - and he should be right.
The advantages are obvious
- low workload
- 24/7 - 365 control and direct reporting
- no more daily manual control
- much faster control
- faster detection of pests before the infestation becomes big
- smart integration into documentation or planning of operations "on scale
- security thanks to the Internet-of-Things which makes everything 100% transparent
- data protection of all data on servers
- 100% toxin-free
- scalable worldwide
Another advantage is that in audits from IFS, BRC, AIB and others with digital traps often best results are achieved, because the control is changed from "once a month" to "around-the-clock", which is an advantage in 100% of cases.
So for professional pest controllers, everything is getting better thanks to digitalization.
With SIM card-controlled traps and a wide choice of IoT products and software, you can customize and tailor them into your service. Leading customers worldwide - the who's who of the food industry - have trusted eMitter products for nearly 2 decades.
TRADITIONAL PEST CONTROL VS. MODERN PEST CONTROL
At Futura, we have made it our mission to build products tailor-made for your needs. PestCam is the first camera for hard-to-reach places or sewers with image sending directly to the app. NARA is a world-renowned solution for toxin-free monitoring with sales in the millions every year. GorillaTraps are the most humane traps in the world and probably the most popular trap among professionals in Europe. RatCap is a revolutionary IPM sealing solution for the canal. GreenHero stands for toxin-free sprays and repellents that are very popular throughout Europe. And eMitter is THE brand for Internet-of-Things and software for professional pest controllers with patented technology Made in Germany and over 100,000+ digital traps, sensors and cameras sold.
Each of these products was created by you: By talking to professionals, to customers, to auditors and scientists - Futura listens and delivers solutions, since 2002.
TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY
Internet of Things solutions must above all be reliable. We use all the latest technologies for you, in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom, Fraunhofer Institute and advised by industry leaders such as Vera Schneevoigt (CDO Bosch) in our advisory board.
In the beginning, traps were networked with repeaters and gateways to form a kind of infrastructure. For this, the effort was somewhat higher, but the installations have now been in operation reliably and cost-effectively for over 10 years to this day.
As connectivity becomes cheaper and cheaper, nowadays SIM operation of a trap is much better, as you can thus set up a trap within seconds and the cost is the same and the security is higher. Futura therefore relies on SIM cards in every trap and secure transmission of data directly to the server.
For example, our PestCam, Tubetrap and eMitter Cam work 100% on 4G with sub-standards like Cat-M and NB IoT and top level security protocols like HTTPS and MQTT. In addition, we can change the software "over the air" i.e. via the SIM card and improve it at any time, like the Iphone quasi. The data is stored in servers in Germany for you and our availability has been excellent 99.99% for our customers. We are very proud of this.
After choosing a digital trap and getting all the questions answered by our recognized experts, everything is very fast. The traps are installed with the app in seconds (QR code is scanned) and set up. So you can set up thousands of traps for all your customers or only 2 in a small restaurant - just as you like.
We offer you all software from one source. So you can view and manage all data in the free eMitter app or our cloud log-in and provide your customers with perfect service.
At the same time, we can also connect our cloud with yours via API and smartly connect the IoT data of our devices with your software.
Last but not least, we of course also work with the market leaders in Pest Control software such as PestScan, Nector, Hygitec and many more.
Software is tailor-made for you with us and with over 20 years of experience we implement each project with you individually.
WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS SAY?
We have digitized over 1,000 pest controllers with our IoT since 2006 with well over 100,000 devices. This is market-leading and unique after service provider groups like Rentokil and Anticimex. We have been actively shaping IoT for our industry globally. We are proud of this and we will continue this tradition.
We see our customers as partners. They provide ideas, feedback for over 15 years and we actively develop products with you and for you. That's why Futura products are almost always sold out before launch, because our existing customers know what they get: Quality and customized innovations that add value.
Desinfecta has been an innovative pest control company from Switzerland since 1921. More than 10 years ago, the partnership between Desinfecta and Futura started. This made them one of the first partners to rely on the eMitter across the board and to see a lot of potential in digital solutions.
Desinfecta was already aiming at the reduction of rodenticides and manual control intervals at that time. Desinfecta's customers are still enthusiastic today, and after more than 10 years of cooperation, things are still going strong, not least because eMitter stands for sustainable quality.
FAQ
Below are answers to questions that often come up when switching to digital.
What do I need to look out for in my IoT system against rodents?
First of all, you need to know exactly where your company wants to be in 5-15 years. How much and in which direction do you want to change? Accordingly, you would also have to choose your IoT system. Maybe only a basic system that sends emails is enough. Maybe you need a PRO variant that is fully integrated with your ERP / doc systems and supports you with Artificial Intelligence and smart image recognition. Maybe you only need digital rat traps because you only work for municipalities and cities. Maybe you need something for every species because you work for supermarket chains or food companies. But basically, the biggest advice applies - try before you buy - always and first of all. We always advise you to: buy 3-4 or 10 solutions and try around with them for 1-2 years. Because: many companies promise you the yellow of the egg, but deliver only a prototype. It is important, especially in pest control, that the IoT solutions are secure, that the company is serious and will exist for a long time (no start-up that sells your data to the competition after 3 years as happened earlier with Wisecon in 2017). But also that standards like IFS and AIB accept the products.
So, get to know the manufacturers, pick the most promising ones and build a relationship with them. Sign up for newsletters, watch Youtube interviews / podcasts and also see what the "big guys" in the Pest Control world are doing. This way you will learn after 1-2 years if the digital traps suddenly "give up the ghost" and it was not so important after all that they were 10-20€ cheaper or, if they work well and reliably for you and your customers.
Tip: Always think holistically: it's not just about how expensive a product is. Also consider the follow-up costs and actively ask companies what the costs will be if you have 10-20,000 of them installed in 2030, for example. Don't get caught in a cost trap. Also, always look at battery runtimes as well as making sure processes are sustainable. If you have to buy new batteries every 6-12 months, they cost a lot of money to begin with, and that's not necessarily sustainable. But your biggest cost will NOT be the product cost, but your time and that of your employees = the trips to the customer and back and the hours you could have better used for billable services.
As you can see, this is not an easy topic to answer, so it is best to contact our consultants so that they can offer you the product portfolio that best suits YOU.
Which company should I choose?
Do good research beforehand. The company should not exist only since yesterday. Even if the products are 10€ cheaper, pay attention to how long and how many of them are already installed at which references. Never let yourself be put under pressure. Some companies advertise a solution (because they might get discounts for it), but have only installed 200-300 of the devices themselves for 6 months. We have already experienced that start-up solutions stopped working after 6-12 months and the start-up suddenly disappears, along with the customers' money... Also make sure that the team is big enough, because of course you also want a sustainable and good support for your digital journey.
Pro tip: Make sure you pay attention to the structure of the company you are buying from. If it is a startup with, for example, angel or venture capital (venture capitalist) investors, then be careful, because such companies are usually built up quickly with other people's money, invest primarily in marketing, and then sell the startup to other large market participants after 5-7 years. So imagine how bad it would be if your data suddenly ended up with your biggest competitor. In 2017 Wisecon sold to Anticimex and suddenly - half a year later - it was announced that all Wiseboxes that were bought will stop working. A big damage for all SBKs that bought from Wisecon at that time. There are more of such cases, so caution is advised here above all. Most of the time patience pays off, because that's the only way to get to know the company and its sales team better.
Always take your time and try out solutions at your leisure. By doing this, become digital professionals yourself and openly communicate that you are talking to other companies as well. After 1-2 years, this will allow you to make the best decision for yourself.
Which radio standards are safe?
An important note is that some food standards do not accept Wifi/WLan solutions for security reasons. These are often not advisable.
Basically, it can be said that the 4 and 5G standards are the way of the future. No more gateways, repeaters, but direct transmitting devices.
Why?
Much easier installation, manageable and predictable cost structure (getting cheaper and cheaper), high security, extremely high flexibility and made for small installations with only one trap up to thousands.
Which systems are affordable in the long term?
Basically, a lot has happened here in the last 5-10 years. Where the SIM card used to be the most expensive thing, today it is very affordable, secure, scalable and "the way to go".
Of course, it's always true that the more you buy, the better the cost works out for you.
Just make sure that companies don't have hidden costs. What we've already observed:
- Costs go up when you cross thresholds, e.g., when you have 100 sensors or 20 customers or more
- Costs go up when you want to use feature XYZ
- Costs increase if you want to have an API to your own ERP/docu.
- There are "gag contracts" that force you to buy a minimum number of products per year; don't be pressured here and decide cautiously.
Otherwise, it can be said that most systems have become cheaper and cheaper over the last 10 years and are therefore 50-60% "affordable" / fairly priced.
Tip: Often you can also negotiate that you pay in advance for e.g. 4 years and thus get good discounts.
Do I have to / can I integrate the systems into my own documentation software?
This is only one option. Most systems come with everything, so you don't need anything extra. It all depends on how your business works and whether you use your own or third-party software.
The good news is that our transmitters work with all third-party vendors at no cost to you (PestSoft, Hygitec, PestScan, and more). But also the connection via API to your own solution, or one developed for you by an IT company, does not cost much money (just ask our team about it). Usually we talk about 1-4 man-days of effort.
Tip: A "simple" solution is usually enough for the customer. So start with one customer and try it out. After that you can think about which further steps to take. Step by step, you can expand everything and become completely digital.
How expensive are such systems?
Without much ado, it starts at 10-15€ for audio monitoring sensors.
It continues at about 25-75€ for Bluetooth or W-Lan devices.
Then it goes on from 30-75€ with the 868Mhz short and long range devices, where of course repeaters and gateways are added (about 100-500€).
At 30-200€ we are at the 4G/5G GSM devices, depending on features, plus SIM and server costs.
There are also absolute special solutions that can cost over 1,000€ (multi-catch traps), but these are rather the exception and do not make much sense "on scale".
It is important that with GSM solutions it is easy to calculate: I need 100 traps = 100 x 50€ plus e.g. 0,5€ monthly = total costs on 3 years of XYZ€.
For the infrastructure solutions with repeaters and gateways the calculation is much more difficult, because I don't know from the beginning if I need only 20 repeaters for 100 traps or even 40, and the same applies for the gateways...
Therefore the trend is clearly towards the easier to install GSM / 4G / 5G solutions, as they simply win everything in terms of cost and convenience.
Basically there are several types of costs:
- Hardware costs (mostly one-time, or as rent/lease)
- Software costs (for servers, data analysis, tools, security updates, access by different users, customer accounts, etc.)
- Feature costs (the software add-on purchase of e.g. features that can be digitally unlocked)
- SIM / transmission costs
- Installation and consulting costs
- Third party costs (this would be absolutely not advisable, because some manufacturers use Asian products - Wlan Extener or similar, which you can buy at Amazon - because these devices are of questionable quality and security.
All in all, the cost always potentially decreases with the quantity. So if you know you need 10,000 more digital traps by 2030, negotiate hard, because discounts are definitely possible - but also expect that manufacturers will want to put the promises in writing in an offer/contract.
How long and where should the test devices be tested before I decide?
Do not skimp on testing. Buy devices from 5 different manufacturers and test them for at least 6 months, more likely 12-24 months.
You can't imagine how many solutions give up the ghost after 6-12 months. It would be a pity if you had already ordered the next 500 units. Avoid too much financial risk here.
Where you should test them is quite clear: in the field. Never just at your warehouse or office.
Put the IoT devices outside, in the sun, the rain, the snow, or in the wet/cold factory, in the dry dusty warehouse, etc.
You need to find out if the devices really deliver what they promise and that too over a 6+ month period.
This time is well invested and ensures that you do not lose - like a now very good and long-time customer of ours - 150,000€ because the devices broke and he was left sitting on his money without further support or rectification from the IoT manufacturer company.
What questions should I ask the IoT company?
- How long have you been manufacturing IoT devices?
- How many support staff do you have?
- How many customers do you have?
- Can I talk to your customers on the phone who have been using your system for <2 years?
- How many products do you have?
- Are they all CE, FCC, Tüv certified?
- In which industries have you sold your equipment so far?
- How long do your devices last? What happens after the warranty? ( Refurbishment, support costs etc. )
- How long does your battery last?
- Are the batteries certified (fire protection)?
- How do I change the batteries and how often do I have to change them?
- Where are your servers located?
- What is your shareholder structure? (Investors who want to sell quickly? Venture capitalists? Data loss after sale is very high here. Best to buy from long-standing family businesses or big names that have been serving a very long, very large number of customers).
- What are your service hours?
- Do you provide on-site support?
- How many machines do you have in the field? And for how long?
- What do you think about the competition (pay attention if it's an honest answer or if it's just a sales pitch)?
- Which documentation systems do you work with?
- Which radio standards do you serve?
This should help you for the time being. It's best to open the questions in a video call / phone call so you can take notes on them. And mark the 5-10 questions that are most relevant to YOU.
What should I look out for in the IoT company in terms of data protection?
In Europe, consumer protection and especially data protection are very important, which strongly protects entrepreneurs and consumers. The company has no choice but to behave correctly. Data protection and discretion as well as IT systems that manage this automatically are intrinsic and important, but especially in IT companies standard.
Rumors of data disclosure or even sale are actually rather unrealistic.
The company would be sued immediately, would lose directly and the reputation in the industry would be directly gone.
But, what you should pay attention to is that the companies work professionally and assure you that they deal with the customers discreetly and objectively.
In addition, you can ask for and discuss the terms and conditions and privacy statements.
Furthermore, we recommend that you ask whether the server locations are in Germany or the U.S., for example, because in the U.S. completely different laws apply, which also deal with data a little more loosely. Amazon Web Services or similar should not be completely disregarded.
What are the certifications?
Most important is that the companies themselves are certified (ISO etc.) to show that it is a regulated organization that is willing to handle processes professionally and also document them for a traceable partnership.
However, it is even more important that the IoT devices are tested, including by TÜV Süd / Nord or Phönix Kontakt etc. (to name a few) as well as that the devices are CE tested and that there has also been a radiation evaluation of the wireless devices (RED). The CE tests from Asia are often not worth as much as from a reputable German / EU company.
"FCC" - the American standard - is not necessary in Europe, but helps to meet even higher standards.
In addition, you should make sure that the devices are also accepted by the food industry standards, because they / their auditors see IoT systems in the field every day and know exactly which ones work and which ones rather not.
Therefore, the less technical but very practical certificates from IFS (International Featured Standard) for Pest Control (current guideline version 7 will be released in April 2022) are very relevant as well as certificates from AIB (American Institute of Baking) or even Marcs and Spencer, Sainsburys or TESCO.
It is advisable to talk to the auditors or to read the latest standards, as these often provide more and more information on digital pest control devices.
Where can I get more training on the subject?
Free of charge on Youtube or in our Academy / webinars and especially in free consulting sessions (our recommendation, because even more individual).
We hold a "Future Day" once a quarter, where leading IoT specialists report on brand-new IoT topics of the future, including Caspar Preysing from PWC and the Gigabit Office of the Federal Government, Stefan Drees from 1nce, Vera Schneevoigt, CDO of Bosch and many more. Our customers and friends of the company may participate digitally and on-site free of charge.
Who can give me an independent recommendation?
This is really very difficult, because the manufacturers all have one agenda: to sell.
But, to be honest, the agenda of us - Futura- is just not to sell, because we know that such a thing does not happen overnight and therefore we prefer to advise openly (see these FAQs) and also be happy with it, if you buy a product of the competition.
But, the best are certainly friendly pest controllers. Well, there is always competition and sometimes competitors are biased here, but basically similar acting contractors with more experience can give the most recommendation.
We always try to let our customers talk about their experiences with our and other solutions because that is the most honest.
How do prices change when I purchase larger quantities?
Quite clearly: they become cheaper. As a rule, however, this only applies to 100-200 pieces with up to 5-10%. From 1,000 pieces should go but then possibly more with up to 20%. But the jumps are also getting bigger: so from 5,000 / 10,000 pieces possibly 30%.
But there are also many companies - similar to Tesla / Porsche - that do not give discounts. Here the same price is demanded for the small quantity as well as for 10,000 pieces.
In the end, it is a matter of taste, but there are certainly both on the market, depending on the quality.
Which contracts should I / should I not sign?
Please be careful with contracts that force you to accept a product that is still new. So-called gag contracts that demand, for example, 10,000 IoT traps in one year.
What do you do if the customers don't want the traps after all, or the still very new products don't deliver what was promised?
Caution is required here so that no financial damage can occur.
Contracts are basically not even necessary. You can also simply order and pay, which represents a purchase contract between companies.
Especially in the software / IoT area, however, it is almost standard that manufacturers who also offer cloud services - send contracts along. This is often not bad for both parties and provides a legally secure construct for long-term cooperation.
Tip: Always read the fine print.
Do I need to act today or will it be enough in the next 2-3 years?
To be honest, it is probably enough to deal with the topic slowly.
It is certainly becoming more explosive from year to year, and the "big players" are getting faster and better, but the solutions are also getting better and cheaper, so a later entry is often worthwhile, because you get in "better"...
However: Beware of reputation loss. So, means: if your competitor is already doing very active marketing for "Digital" or "IoT" and approaching all of their customers and possibly yours, then since you don't have a say yet, you might be at a disadvantage. And then the race to catch up has already passed you by before you could participate.
So our tip is to keep at it, get informed today, test equipment and become an expert. Then you can act spontaneously and offer it to your customers. But if customers realize right away: "Oh, he doesn't offer that at all and probably never will", then they might - without your knowledge - ask the competition.
In addition, if the legal situation should change significantly in the next few years and poisons etc. are further banned, then IoT could develop quickly and suddenly be in great demand. Leading standards such as IFS have already set an example and many more will follow. The "tipping point" may have been passed.
In 2015, there were - according to experts' estimates - about 50,000 IoT devices. In 2022, there will probably already be more than 500,000. We expect over 1,000,000 units as early as 2023, and if growth then becomes exponential, we can expect 50,000,000 in 2027.
So, don't lose track of time and better get on board today before the train races past you.
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