About us
Learn more about Laronkarn
It began with an elephant and an unreachable itch.
In 1963, Lt. Col. Rufus Stone RE was approached by a farmer with a big problem. Elephants were using the timber frame of his tea-drying huts to scratch their backside – causing the buildings to collapse.
Rufus, a trained veterinarian, knew what animals tend to avoid by smell or taste.
He sent the farmer a repellent, which he called CURB®. It proved so effective, he founded Sphere Laboratories (London) Limited.
By 1978, regulatory demands had grown. Laronkarn Limited was formed to manage compliance and approvals.
All Homes’ on deck: from CURB® to TRICO®
2005: New hands, same ethos
Fiona Homes took over the running of Sphere and Laronkarn following Rufus’ retirement.
2012: Small batches, tight standards
Putley Services Limited was established to manage small-batch packaging operations
2017: TRICO® takes root
Laronkarn partnered with Kwizda, becoming the exclusive UK importer of the deer repellent TRICO®.
Present: Still small, still sharp
Still family-run. Still driven by fieldwork, science and sharp regulatory instinct.
Our team
Our team of experts brings decades of experience in research and development, regulatory compliance, and customer support.
