Ecolab

Merritt J. Osborn, a former salesman, founded Economics Laboratory (EL) in St. Paul in 1923. It first developed and marketed Absorbit, a carpet cleaner, and later Soilax, a dishwashing and all-purpose cleanser.⁠[1]

In 1957 the family-owned company went public with a 100,000-share offering at $15 a share.⁠[2]

In 1978 E. B. Osborn, the founder’s son, gave up the CEO title to Fred T. Lanners, Jr., the first nonfamily member to reach that level. Pierson M. Grieve became chairman and CEO in early 1983, and Allan L. Schuman president and CEO in early 1995.⁠[3]

In 1984 it acquired Lystads, its first regional pest service firm. In 1986 the company changed its name to Ecolab. In 1987 it acquired the lawn care provider ChemLawn for $376 million.⁠[2]

ChemLawn proved unprofitable. Ecolab took a $263 million write-off against 1991 earnings and in 1992 sold ChemLawn to ServiceMaster L.P. for $103 million.⁠[3]

In 1991 Ecolab formed a joint venture with the German firm Henkel KGaA that combined their European businesses. In 2001 Ecolab bought out Henkel’s 50 percent stake.⁠[1]

About a week after the Deepwater Horizon incident in April 2010, BPBPBP (BP p.l.c.) is a British energy company headquartered in London; it began as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, founded in 1909, merged with Amoco in 1998 and experienced the Deepwater Horizon accident in 2010. As of October 2026 its chief executive is Meg O’Neill.Open the full entry subsidiaries, with federal authorization, asked Nalco Company, now an indirect subsidiary of Ecolab, to supply large quantities of COREXIT 9500 dispersant. Nalco was then named in numerous lawsuits. On November 28, 2012, the multidistrict litigation court dismissed all claims against Nalco.⁠[4]

As of its 2018 annual report, nine cases remained pending against Nalco, which the company expected to be dismissed under that order. Nalco continued to sell COREXIT and could face future lawsuits over those sales.⁠[5]

On July 20, 2011, Ecolab announced a merger with Nalco at a total transaction value of $8.1 billion, including $2.7 billion of Nalco net debt. Nalco shareholders could elect 0.7005 Ecolab shares or $38.80 in cash per share, for overall consideration of about 70% stock and 30% cash.⁠[6]

Nalco, based in Naperville, Illinois, focused on industrial water, energy and air applications. It had 2010 sales of $4.25 billion and more than 12,000 employees operating in 150 countries. The price was a 34% premium to Nalco’s closing price on July 19, 2011.⁠[7]

It was by far the largest deal in Ecolab’s 88-year history. Chief executive Douglas Baker said, “This combination creates a great growth powerhouse.”⁠[8]

Shareholders of both companies approved the merger on November 30, 2011, and it was completed on December 1. The combined company had 2011 annualized sales of $11 billion and more than 38,000 employees, serving customers in more than 160 countries.⁠[9]

In 2013 Ecolab bought the privately held Champion Technologies for $2.2 billion.⁠[2]

In June 2015 Ecolab acquired a controlling interest in Jianghai Environmental Protection Co., an industrial water treatment company in Changzhou with more than 550 employees and 2014 sales of $90 million. Terms were not disclosed.⁠[10]

As of 2020, Ecolab managed more than 1 trillion gallons of water for customers, helping conserve it by reducing, reusing and recycling industrial water.⁠[11]

On June 3, 2020, Ecolab completed the separation of its Upstream Energy business, followed immediately by the merger of ChampionX with a wholly owned subsidiary of ChampionX Corporation, formerly Apergy Corporation.⁠[12]

In the exchange offer, Ecolab accepted 4,955,552 shares of its common stock in exchange for 122,237,115 shares of ChampionX common stock. The combined company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CHX.⁠[13]

On October 29, 2020, Ecolab announced that Douglas M. Baker, Jr. would retire as CEO and remain board chairman, and that Christophe Beck would become CEO and president effective January 1, 2021. Beck joined Ecolab in 2007 after 16 years as an executive at Nestlé.⁠[14]

On December 1, 2021, Ecolab completed the acquisition of Purolite’s filtration and purification resins business for approximately $3.7 billion in cash, under an agreement dated October 28, 2021.⁠[15]

On August 1, 2024, Medline announced that it had closed its acquisition of Ecolab’s global surgical solutions business, including the Microtek product lines and nearly 3,500 Microtek team members.⁠[16]

In 2025 Ecolab’s net sales rose 2% to $16,081.2 million. Net income attributable to Ecolab was $2,075.6 million, compared with $2,112.4 million in 2024, and diluted earnings per share were $7.28.⁠[17]

Ecolab’s 2025 annual report lists four segments: Global Water, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Pest Elimination and Global Life Sciences, with customers in more than 170 countries. As of December 31, 2025, it had approximately 48,000 employees.⁠[18]

In the third quarter of 2026, Ecolab’s net sales rose 13% to $4,694.8 million, with organic sales growth of 7%. Net income attributable to Ecolab fell 6% to $551.3 million, and diluted earnings per share were $1.95. Growth included the acquisitions of Ovivo Electronics, completed in the fourth quarter of 2025, and CoolIT Systems.⁠[19]