RIFCON’s Milestones
2024
New firm: foundation of RIFCON España S.L.. Expansion of eDNA project portfolio aiming to enhance community and species monitoring options. Understanding and measuring of biodiversity is key for the future.
2023
190 employees. Welcome Faunomics! Effect modelling and statistics team grows to 10 members and becomes the largest of its type in Europe. Further expansion of portfolio on environmental planning services.
2022
Expansion of sustainability and biodiversity projects. Founding of a new department covering sustainability and environmental planning services, as well as species conservation work conducted by RIFCON since more than a decade. RIFCON becomes IBMA member. Launch of DeEP-tool website.
2021
First RIFCON soil-related field study evaluating and assessing precision farming techniques. Further focus on pollinator population modelling within the Effect modelling and statistics team.
2020
RIFCON’s 20th anniversary. First IUCLID submissions. Intensive expansion of biopesticide projects.
2019
Different study development using drone-based recording of registration-relevant data regarding animal behaviour, crop coverage, plant development etc.
2018
Continuous reptile telemetry studies in crops in Europe. Public workshops in Hirschberg become SETAC-certified. Establishment of TKTD modelling working group.
2017
Field work expansion to bees in Brazil. Establishment of enclosure semi-field studies – RIFCON is still the only provider of this test system in Europe. Establishment of additional office in Bad Dürkheim. Founding of effect modelling and statistics team (with colleagues from the ecotoxicology-, wildlife-, and environmental fate teams as well as new employees).
2016
First technical and registration-relevant workshops for industry, authorities, and consultancies. Establishment of substance-, seed- and avian-species-specific dehusking semi-field studies. First terrestrial field dissipation studies. First amphibian field study development. First public workshops for effect modelling and at European regulatory authorities.
2015
160 employees. Regular DNA sequencing for wildlife diet analyses. First public workshops for ecotoxicology and wildlife.
2014
Pollinator work expansion to bumble bees and solitary bees. Establishment of fish field monitoring studies.
2013
Start of extended multi-year post-registration monitoring. Establishment of substance- and species-specific avoidance field studies.
2012
130 employees. New premises in Hirschberg. First helicopter application field studies and field studies focusing on shrew species. Start of yearly hare- and rabbit telemetry studies.
2011
Establishment of full fauna studies. Further development of vertebrate field effect studies. Expansion of field sampling methods for any kind of matrix for residue decline studies. First successful application of the eVole population model for Sulfoxaflor environmental risk assessment.
2010
95 employees. Biodiversity assessments. dRR dossiers. Annex II dossiers. Further development of 3D dust drift studies. First field studies conducted in Brazil.
2009
Establishment of honeybee field study portfolio including semi-field- and effect studies. Development of dust drift- and guttation field study designs.
2008
Biological assessment dossiers. Complete Annex III dossiers. Microarthropod field study portfolio. Extension of GLP certificate to laboratory studies. Establishment of GMO field monitoring.
2007
Development of proprietary vertebrate population models for use in ecotoxicology.
2006
Implementation of wildlife effect studies. Obtainment of GLP certificate.
2005
Conversion into RIFCON GmbH – as leading company for wildlife field studies and risk assessment in Europe.
2004
25 employees. Establishment of new areas environmental fate and database management.
2003
First ecotoxicology field studies.
2000
Foundation of BioConsult by Dr. Michael Riffel. First ecotoxicology risk assessments and dossier chapters.