Culligan International and Waterlogic Group Holdings complete combination
Culligan International (“Culligan”), the innovative brand in consumer-focused, sustainable water solutions and services, and Waterlogic Group Holdings (“Waterlogic”), a global designer, manufacturer, distributor and service provider of purified drinking water dispensers, have announced the completion of their transaction to combine, creating a leader in clean and sustainable drinking water solutions and services. Headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, the combined company operates under the Culligan name.
With over 11,000 employees operating directly in 30 countries, Culligan generates combined annual revenues of about $2.4 billion and is well-positioned to expand in the fast-growing $35 billion global consumer water market. The combination diversifies the company’s product range and increases its global reach, including an expansive dealer network in more than 70 countries.
It brings additional scale and expertise to drive innovation in the development of new household and commercial water filtration, purification and treatment solutions, expanding those to both existing and new markets, and it bolsters distribution channels across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
“Our two organizations make a powerful combined team as one Culligan, aligned on values and committed to a clear purpose to change people’s lives and to improve the environment,” said Scott Clawson, President and CEO of Culligan International. “Culligan is a leading global consumer water solutions and services provider whose mission is to deliver clean, safe and soft water to improve consumers’ health and wellness and reduce single-use plastics. Serving over 100 million people globally, our solutions save more than 40 billion plastic bottles annually.”
“The combined company provides clean, sustainable drinking water to more than 100 million consumers and saves more than 40 billion plastic bottles annually.”
“Our deep, mutual belief that we have the ability and responsibility to contribute positively to the Earth guides our decisions and is engrained in our operations,” said Jeremy Ben-David, founder and former Group CEO of Waterlogic who now serves Culligan as CEO of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, and a member of the Executive Leadership of Culligan Global. “We take to heart the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and today we are aligned to make an even more positive impact in all we do.”
The combined company is majority owned by funds affiliated with BDT Capital Partners, LLC (“BDT”) and by the firm’s co-investors. In 2021, funds managed by BDT, an affiliate of BDT & Company, LLC, a merchant bank that works with family- and founder-led businesses to pursue their strategic and financial objectives, acquired Culligan alongside a group of strategic family business owners and investors within the firm’s global network. Waterlogic was acquired in January 2015 by funds managed by Castik Capital, a European private equity investor, which alongside former Waterlogic management team members and other shareholders, has a meaningful minority ownership position in Culligan.