Key Stats
Revenue (2024): $15.74 billion
Market Cap: $75 billion (as of December 2025)
Employees: 48,000 worldwide
Headquarters: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
CEO: Christophe Beck (since 2021)
Ecolab Inc. operates as a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions. The company serves customers across more than 170 countries through four business segments: Global Industrial, Global Institutional and Specialty, Global Healthcare and Life Sciences, and Global Pest Elimination.
Merritt J. Osborn founded Ecolab in 1923 as Economics Laboratory in St. Paul, Minnesota. The company started by developing carpet cleaning products for hotels before expanding into dish machine detergents. Today, Ecolab provides cleaning and sanitizing solutions for restaurants, hotels, hospitals, food processors, and industrial facilities.
The company went public in 1957 and has grown through strategic acquisitions including Nalco in 2011 and Champion Technologies in 2013. Ecolab’s technologies help customers conserve water, reduce energy consumption, and maintain safe environments.
Ecolab History
1923
Merritt J. Osborn founded Economics Laboratory in St. Paul, Minnesota. He developed Absorbit carpet cleaner and SOILAX dish machine detergent for the hotel industry.
1950s
Economics Laboratory acquired Magnus Company, expanding into pulp and paper, metalworking, and petrochemical processing. The company established its first overseas subsidiary in Sweden in 1956.
1957
Economics Laboratory became a publicly traded corporation on the stock exchange. International expansion continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s across Europe and Asia.
1986
The company changed its name from Economics Laboratory to Ecolab Inc. This rebranding reflected the company’s expanded focus on environmental and cleaning solutions.
1991
Ecolab formed a 50:50 joint venture with Henkel KGaA called Henkel-Ecolab to expand into European and Russian markets. The partnership lasted until 2001.
2011
Ecolab completed its $5.4 billion acquisition of Nalco Holding Company. This deal significantly expanded the company’s water treatment and industrial services capabilities.
2013
Ecolab acquired Champion Technologies for $2.2 billion, strengthening its position in oil and gas production chemicals. The company continued expanding its energy services portfolio.
2024
Ecolab reported record revenue of $15.74 billion and helped customers preserve 226 billion gallons of water. The company continued investing in digital capabilities and sustainability solutions.
Ecolab Co-founders
Merritt J. Osborn
Founded Economics Laboratory in 1923 at age 44. A former traveling salesman, Osborn identified the need for in-room carpet cleaning at hotels and developed products to address hospitality industry challenges.
Ecolab Competitors
Ecolab competes with specialized cleaning and water treatment companies across multiple industries. The company faces competition from pure-play hygiene providers like Diversey and industrial chemical giants in water treatment segments.
| Company | Headquarters | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Diversey (Solenis) | Wilmington, Delaware | Cleaning and hygiene solutions |
| Veolia | Paris, France | Water and waste management |
| Xylem | Washington, D.C. | Water technology solutions |
| 3M Company | St. Paul, Minnesota | Industrial and safety products |
| Kimberly-Clark Professional | Irving, Texas | Workplace hygiene products |
| Rentokil Initial | Crawley, United Kingdom | Pest control and hygiene services |
| STERIS | Dublin, Ireland | Healthcare infection prevention |
| Cintas Corporation | Cincinnati, Ohio | Facility services and uniforms |
| ISS A/S | Copenhagen, Denmark | Facility management services |
| Sealed Air Corporation | Charlotte, North Carolina | Packaging and hygiene solutions |
Ecolab Revenue
Ecolab generated $15.74 billion in revenue during fiscal year 2024. This represented a 2.75% increase from the previous year. The company has maintained steady growth through its diversified business segments serving industrial and institutional customers.
Ecolab Market Cap
Ecolab holds a market capitalization of approximately $75 billion as of December 2025. The company ranks among the top 300 most valuable publicly traded companies globally and maintains a strong position in the specialty chemicals sector.
Ecolab Acquisitions
Ecolab has built its market position through strategic acquisitions over several decades. The company targets businesses that expand geographic reach, add new technologies, or strengthen existing customer relationships.
The Magnus Company acquisition in the early 1950s gave Ecolab access to industrial specialty businesses including pulp and paper, metalworking, and petrochemical processing. This deal marked the company’s first expansion beyond the hospitality sector.
In 1991, Ecolab formed a joint venture with German consumer goods company Henkel to enter European markets. The Henkel-Ecolab partnership operated until 2001 when Ecolab bought out Henkel’s 50% stake and integrated operations into its global structure.
Kay Chemical joined Ecolab in 1993, bringing quick-service restaurant cleaning expertise. The company continued acquiring specialty businesses throughout the 1990s, including Gibson Chemical Industries in Australia and GCS Service in the United States.
The 2011 acquisition of Nalco Holding Company for $5.4 billion transformed Ecolab into a water treatment powerhouse. Nalco operated in approximately 150 countries with $4 billion in annual sales before the merger. This deal created one of the largest industrial water management companies globally.
Champion Technologies joined Ecolab in 2013 for $2.2 billion, strengthening the company’s oil and gas production chemicals business. More recent acquisitions have focused on healthcare, life sciences, and digital technologies. In 2019, Ecolab spun off its upstream energy services business as Apergy Corporation to focus on core water and hygiene operations. The company acquired Purolite in 2021, adding ion exchange resin technology for life sciences and industrial applications.
FAQs
Who founded Ecolab?
Merritt J. Osborn founded Ecolab in 1923 as Economics Laboratory in St. Paul, Minnesota. The company started by developing carpet cleaning products and dish machine detergents for the hotel industry.
What does Ecolab do?
Ecolab provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services. The company serves customers in foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, industrial, and food processing industries across 170 countries.
Where is Ecolab headquartered?
Ecolab is headquartered at 1 Ecolab Place in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. The company has maintained its headquarters in St. Paul since its founding in 1923.
How many employees work at Ecolab?
Ecolab employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide. The workforce includes sales representatives, service technicians, scientists, and corporate staff across operations in more than 170 countries.
What is Ecolab revenue?
Ecolab generated $15.74 billion in revenue during fiscal year 2024. The company has maintained consistent growth through its Global Industrial, Institutional, Healthcare, and Pest Elimination segments.