Ecolab has completed its acquisition of CoolIT Systems, a provider of direct liquid cooling technology for high-density data centres.

The deal was valued at approximately US$4.75 billion. Ecolab said CoolIT’s year-to-date sales have grown by more than 100%, driven by rising demand for liquid cooling in AI data centres.

Ecolab is a US-based provider of water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services. 

The acquisition adds direct liquid cooling to Ecolab’s existing water technology and service businesses, expanding its exposure to AI infrastructure. The company said the combination will support customers across chip manufacturing, power generation and high-density data centre cooling.

Ecolab also plans to introduce a new 3D TRASAR cooling platform at Supercomputing 2026 in Chicago in November. The system will combine CoolIT’s cooling distribution units and cold plate technologies with Ecolab’s digital optimisation tools and cooling fluids.

The platform is designed to give data centre operators real-time visibility into cooling performance, reduce cooling power demand, and support closed-loop systems that lower water use.

Ecolab’s Global High-Tech business generated around US$150 million in annual sales in 2021 and is now approaching US$1.5 billion in 2026 annualised sales, following the acquisitions of Ovivo and CoolIT.

The company is targeting US$4 billion in annual sales from the business by 2030, with operating income margins of 25%. It expects the unit to grow by more than 25% annually and contribute more than two percentage points to annual sales growth.

Christophe Beck, chairman, president and CEO of Ecolab, said the company’s core businesses remain strong, while its high-tech and life sciences units are becoming new growth drivers.

“With Ecolab’s solutions across fabs, power and data centers, AI can now scale more rapidly while respecting communities, the environment and natural resources,” said Christophe Beck, chairman, president and CEO of Ecolab, adding that the company’s core businesses remain strong, while its high-tech and life sciences units are becoming new growth drivers.

Following the CoolIT acquisition, Ecolab expects 2026 adjusted diluted EPS of US$8.03 to US$8.23, up 7% to 9% from 2025.

For the second half of 2026, Ecolab expects organic sales growth of 6% to 7%. Costs linked to the CoolIT deal are expected to reduce EPS by US$0.20 per share in both the third and fourth quarters, bringing expected adjusted diluted EPS growth for the second half to 4% to 5%.

Beyond 2026, Ecolab expects organic sales growth of 5% to 7%, with adjusted EPS growth, including CoolIT, returning to the 12% to 15% range.