The Life in Business: Akamai Pest Solutions
Roger Meints started his own business, Akamai Pest Solutions, in 2003 in Waikoloa, after leaving a large, national termite company. He started with termite inspections, then in 2006 decided to expand into dry wood termite treatments, using a green and organic method of treatment.
“After experience with fumigation and all of its hazards and problems, I wanted to offer people a safer and less intrusive method of treatment,” says Meints. “Orange oil treatments accomplish that very well.”
The company became the first service provider in the state of Hawai‘i for XT2000 in SanDiego, a supplier of highly-concentrated orange oil solution that is 95-percent pure d-limonene. Its Orange Oil Plus® is a naturally occurring essential oil, derived from a natural resource, the rind of citrus.
Meints’ Akamai Pest Solutions eventually grew, hiring more people and opening offices in Kona, Hilo and Maui. He is now in the process of expanding to O‘ahu. With a marketing degree and a background of 20 years in retail management, customer service and working with the public, Meints has worked in the termite industry for over 13 years.
He has lived in Hawai‘i for 19 years: on O‘ahu, Maui and the Big Island.
“Orange oil treatment is new to Hawai‘i but has been used in California for over 15 years,” says Meints. “Anything new takes education, and since fumigation has always been the only method available for eradication of drywood termites, a new method needs to be explained and we need to build confidence and credibility.”
Akamai is now one of only two companies in Hawai‘i that treat with orange oil. The natural alternative doesn’t use toxic gas so customers don’t have to move out or risk damage to their property, says Meints.
“Our primary market is any customer with a drywood termite problem anywhere in Hawai‘i. Our process has been used on residential properties as well as commercial shopping centers, warehouses and condominiums. We have done work for the state and federal government, University of Hawai‘i and many others.”
Akamai Pest Solutions
RR3, Box 1471, Pahoa, HI 96778
(Employees work out of home offices in Hilo, Kona, Maui and O‘ahu.)
Hawai‘i Island: 808.640.4499 or 808.937.7938; Maui: 808.280.4300; Oahu: 808.754.3393
Akamaipestsolutions@gmail.com
Akamaipestsolution.com and XT2000.com
