Culligan

Culligan is an international water treatment products company headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois. Culligan specializes in water softeners, water filtration systems and bottled water for residential and office applications.

The company currently has over 600 dealers in the United States and Canada and sells its products in more than 90 countries. Its main competitors are a division of Veolia STI: Aquadem, and BWT in Europe.

Culligan was founded in 1936 by Emmett Culligan. With $50.00 in his pocket and with additional money financed by his brother, Dr. John M. Culligan, and his sister, Anna V. Culligan, Emmett Culligan set up the Culligan Zeolite Company with his brothers, Drs. John and Leo Culligan, as partners. They started the new business in Jack McLaughlin's Blacksmith Shop at Northbrook, Illinois. Emmett 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. As time went on his business grew. In 1945, Emmett dissolved the partnership with his brothers and a new company was incorporated. Emmett was President until 1950 when he became Chairman of the Board and Harold Werhane was made President. In 1962 the name was changed to Culligan, Incorporated. The Company now has its International Headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois. There are more than 1000 dealerships and business offices 85 countries. For further information refer to the Company magazine, "Topics" of July, 1970. Later on, Beatrice Foods acquired the company.

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. Culligan was spun off in 1995, and Astrum was renamed Samsonite.