Culligan
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| Type | private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Water |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Headquarters | Rosemont, Illinois |
| Key people | Culligan Man |
| Products | Water, water softener |
| Owner(s) | Clayton, Dubilier & Rice |
| Employees | 5,500 |
| Website | Culligan.com |
Culligan is an international water purification company headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois. Culligan specializes in water softeners, water filtration systems and bottled water for residential and office applications.
Culligan was founded by Emmett Culligan in a blacksmith shop in Northbrook, Illinois. He perforated the bottom of a coffee can and used greensand to make his own water filter. Upon running water through his device, he discovered that the filter also behaved as a water softener. By 1938, the first Culligan franchised dealership opened in Wheaton, Illinois, followed by another in Hagerstown, Maryland. In 2004, Entrepreneur Magazine named Culligan the number one franchise in its industry. The company currently has over 800 dealers in the United States and Canada and sells its products in more than 90 countries. Culligan is privately held by the investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
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[edit] History
In 1986, Beatrice Foods, newly acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, spun off its specialty foods and non-food brands as E-II Holdings. E-II attempted to take over American Brands in 1988, but instead American Brands purchased E-II. American Brands went on to sell the majority of the E-II brands to Meshulam Riklis. Riklis soon left the company, and E-II filed for bankruptcy in 1992. After a takeover battle from Carl Icahn, E-II emerged from bankruptcy in 1993 under the name Astrum International.[1] Culligan was spun off in 1995, and Astrum was renamed Samsonite.
Culligan was acquired by United States Filter in 1998; US Filter was acquired by Vivendi in 1999. Vivendi spun off its water buinesss in 2000, and the resulting company, Veolia Environnement, sold Culligan to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2003.
[edit] Advertising slogan
Culligan is best known for a famous television and radio ad featuring an all-American housewife yelling out the slogan “Hey, Culligan man!” in a sultry tone. The campaign was originally created in 1959 for radio by Dallas Williams Productions of Los Angeles. Filmmaker Dan Bessie directed and animated the award-winning "Hey Culligan Man!" soft water commercials for 15 years. Variations of “Hey Culligan Man” ads would continue to air for over three decades.
