Who Owns Culligan?
Culligan is owned by Culligan International Company, a privately held water treatment company headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, majority owned by BDT & MSD Partners since August 2021. Founded in 1936 by Emmett J. Culligan in Northbrook, Illinois, the brand covers water softeners, drinking water systems, whole-house filters, and consumer filtration products sold through more than 600 dealers across North America and operations in over 90 countries.
Parent Company
Acquired
2021
Status
Private
Headquarters
Culligan Timeline
Who Owns Culligan?
- Parent Company: Culligan International Company
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2021
- Company Type: Privately Held
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Culligan | Culligan International Company | Wholly owned |
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History of Culligan
- Founded: 1936
- Founders: Emmett J. Culligan
- Acquired by Culligan International Company: 2021
Emmett J. Culligan founded the Culligan Zeolite Company in Northbrook, Illinois, in 1936, selling water softeners on a rental model that bundled equipment with service. The first franchised dealership opened in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1938, starting the dealer structure that still defines the business.
Postwar advertising made the brand a household name. The "Hey, Culligan Man" slogan became one of the most recognizable calls in American marketing, and the dealer network expanded to cover most of the United States by the 1960s.
Ownership rotated through corporate and private equity hands: Beatrice Companies held it in the conglomerate era, followed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, then Centerbridge Partners and Advent International. Under Advent and Centerbridge, the company bought Zip Water (2017), UK softener maker Harvey (2018), and AquaVenture Holdings (2019, $1.1 billion), adding the Quench bottle-free cooler business.
The BDT era began in August 2021. Since then, Culligan has kept consolidating: Primo Water's international businesses in December 2023, Whirlpool's water purifier rental operations in 2024, Dutch company Boshuis in September 2025, and Complete Home Filtration in March 2026. A $4.6 billion debt refinancing in July 2024 funded the acquisition push.
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Throughout, the brand's identity stayed constant: full-service water treatment delivered by a local dealer, a model that has outlasted every wave of retail disruption.
About Culligan International Company
What does Culligan International own?
The company's primary asset is the Culligan trademark and the dealer and service network behind it. It also owns acquired brands including Quench, Zip Water, and Harvey Water Softeners, plus international water businesses acquired from Primo.
Is Culligan publicly traded?
No. Culligan International is privately held. Its majority owner is BDT & MSD Partners, a merchant bank, with Advent International holding a minority stake.
Who founded Culligan?
Emmett J. Culligan founded the company in 1936 in Northbrook, Illinois, as the Culligan Zeolite Company. The first franchised dealership opened in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1938.
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Where is Culligan headquartered?
Corporate headquarters is at 9399 W. Higgins Road in Rosemont, Illinois.
How many brands does Culligan own?
The business centers on the Culligan master brand, supplemented by acquired names such as Quench, Zip Water, and Harvey Water Softeners. Most revenue flows through the Culligan brand itself.
Who owns Culligan International?
BDT & MSD Partners holds majority ownership, acquired in August 2021 from Advent International and Centerbridge Partners. Advent retained a minority position.
What is Culligan's revenue?
Culligan generates an estimated $3.4 billion in annual revenue. As a private company, exact figures are not publicly filed.
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- Founded: 1936
- Headquarters: Rosemont, Illinois, USA
- Company Type: Privately Held
- Revenue: approximately $3.4 billion (estimated)
- Employees: approximately 14,000
Where Is Culligan Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Rosemont, Illinois, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Italy, France, United Kingdom
Culligan Categories & Tags
Culligan Sustainability & Ethics
Culligan positions its products as an alternative to bottled water, citing single-use plastic reduction as a core environmental benefit. The company participates in the UN CEO Water Mandate and UN Global Compact, and its filters carry WQA and NSF certifications for performance claims. These combine product-level third-party certification with corporate self-reporting; the company is not B Corp certified.
Culligan Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Category-defining brand with 90 years of recognition
- +Recurring-revenue dealer service model
- +Global reach across 90-plus countries
- +Patient PE ownership supports acquisition-led growth
- +Full product range from pitchers to industrial systems
Considerations
- -Dealer model means customer experience varies by franchise
- -Private equity leverage ($4.6 billion facilities) adds financial risk
- -Private status limits transparency for customers and partners
- -Retail filtration rivals compete aggressively on price
- -Fragmented service quality across a large dealer network
Frequently Asked Questions About Culligan
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to Culligan
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ispring Water Systems | USA | 2007 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Helen Of Troy | USA | 1986 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Qingdao Ecopure | USA | 2015 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Zero Technologies | USA | 2002 | Premium | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Household Consumer GoodsiSpring
Owned by iSpring Water Systems, LLC
American water filtration brand founded in 2007 in Georgia, known for reverse osmosis systems, whole-house filters, and water softeners sold direct to consumers.
water-filtrationreverse-osmosiswater-softeners
Household Consumer GoodsPUR
Owned by Helen of Troy Limited
American water filtration brand owned by Helen of Troy, known for faucet-mount filters, pitchers, and dispensers, acquired from Procter & Gamble in 2011.
water-filtrationwater-pitchersfaucet-filters
Household Consumer GoodsWaterdrop
Owned by Qingdao Ecopure Filter Co., Ltd.
Water filtration brand launched in 2015 by Qingdao Ecopure, sold globally through Ecolife Technologies and e-commerce channels, known for RO systems and replacement filters.
water-filtrationreverse-osmosiswater-pitchers
Household Consumer GoodsZeroWater
Owned by Zero Technologies, LLC
Premium water filtration brand founded in 2002 by Zero Technologies, known for five-stage filters that remove virtually all dissolved solids and ship with a TDS meter.
water-filtrationwater-pitcherstds-removal
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Culligan competes with 4 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Cabot is owned by The Sherwin-Williams Company, a public company, a different structure than Culligan's parent.
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Labubu is owned by Pop Mart International Group Limited, a public company, a different structure than Culligan's parent.
Household Consumer GoodsMarlboro
Owned by Philip Morris International Inc.
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Marlboro is owned by Philip Morris International Inc., a public company, a different structure than Culligan's parent.
Household Consumer GoodsPersil
Owned by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
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Publicly Traded
Persil is owned by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, a public company, a different structure than Culligan's parent.
Jobs at Culligan International Company
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