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The Company history of ritex

Ritex - The Brand
Quality from Passion

Whether tender or passionate, eternal or momentary - love means responsibility for oneself and for others. Ritex is therefore committed to the highest quality and the latest technology in Germany.
The company was founded by Hans Richter in 1948 and today is a real success story.

1948

The businessman Hans Richter – just 25 years old – establishes a company in Bielefeld, Germany, for trading in condoms. This is the origin of today’s company.

1950

“Ritex”, a composite of RI-chter and la-TEX, the natural liquid raw material from which condoms are made, is registered as a trademark.

1959

Foundation of the manufacturing company “Rubion” in Sarstedt near Hanover, Germany. Hans Richter gradually acquires all of the shares in the company and becomes sole shareholder of Rubion in 1972.

1979

Ritex ceases production using its own dipping lines in Germany for financial reasons and concentrates on the coating, packaging and distribution of condoms from this point on.

1982

Hans-Roland Richter, son of the company founder, joins the company management.

1984

Ritex reviews its product concept for condoms. Quality becomes the absolute priority and should correspond to the highest level of science and technology at all times.

1987

From this year on, Ritex condoms are honoured time and time again for their outstanding quality, e.g. achieving the best marks from the German consumer association “Stiftung Warentest”.

1993

The Council of the European Community adopts Directive 93/42/EEC for medical devices. This directive assigns condoms to the group of medical devices in the particularly high risk classification II b.   

1994

Ritex decides to build a new production facility for condoms in Bielefeld.

1995

The production facility in Bielefeld is built; production begins using the first dipping line as early as October.   

2003

Lubricant is added to the Ritex range. Ritex Gel+ with aloe vera is rated as “Very good” by Öko-Test, the German ecological consumer magazine.

2004

The production area at the Bielefeld location is expanded by 70% and the technical capacity for condom production by 50%.

2005

The Ritex range and the entire corporate appearance are re-designed based on a major market study and extensive packaging tests. A sensitive, likeable, modern brand image is created.   

2007

Robert Richter, grandson of the company founder, joins the company.

2009

Robert Richter is appointed Managing Director. Our condoms RR.1, Ideal and Intensiv are awarded a rating of 1.9 by Stiftung Warentest.

2011

Both the layout concept and the brand strategy developed in 2005 have proven themselves. Five years later, a minor facelift was carried out to keep the presentation of the available products up to date.

2012

Successful participation in the city of Bielefeld’s Ökoprofit® project (Ecological Project for Integrated Environmental Technology).

2015

Ritex concludes an inspection contract with MPA Darmstadt on regular, stringent quality control in line with the MPA’s very own IP-494 inspection programme.

2016

Ritex expanded its product range with Ritex Kinderwunsch Conception Lubricant and positioned itself as a comprehensive family planning services provider.

2017

Almost 12 years after the last major relaunch, Ritex took another big step forwards presenting the brand in a new light. It is our goal to achieve an omnichannel model and to be better connected, both on and offline.

2018

Ritex is celebrating its 70th anniversary!

2019

Ritex supports wild bees - A "bee meadow" specially adapted to the region was created and a cooperation with NABU was started. NABU is a german association for the protection of nature and biodiversity.

get closer - feel intense and passionate closeness with Ritex. A nationwide brand campaign is launched under this claim.

2020

Ritex launches the PRO NATURE range with three condom variants and thus sets a highlight on the condom market.

With the limited summer edition BEE HAPPY, Ritex continues its commitment to the environment and supports NABU with 10,000 euros of the sales proceeds.