Nalco Water

Nalco Water is the water-management and industrial-process business historically associated with Nalco Holding Company. The company traces its origins to 1928, when National Aluminate Corporation was created through the merger of Chicago Chemical Company and Aluminum Sales Corporation in the United States. Its early activities developed around chemical products and services for industrial operations, and its subsequent growth was shaped by acquisitions, business expansion, and changes in ownership. The company adopted the name Nalco Chemical Company in 1959 and became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964. During the following decades, it expanded beyond its original chemical base into industrial water treatment, energy-sector chemicals, process services, marine applications, and environmental-performance solutions. Notable historical transactions included the acquisition of Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories in 1966 and the purchase of the marine business of Bull & Roberts in 1984. In 1999, Suez acquired the business, resulting in its delisting from the New York Stock Exchange and a name change to Ondeo Nalco Company. A private-equity group comprising Blackstone, Apollo Management, and Goldman Sachs Alternatives acquired the company from Suez in 2003 for approximately $4.2 billion. The business returned to the public market in 2004 as Nalco Holding Company. In 2007, it reported sales exceeding $3.9 billion, although that historical figure should not be treated as a current financial measure. Nalco expanded its position in petroleum and natural-gas services through a 1994 joint venture with Exxon Chemical Company, initially named Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals. In 2001, the venture became part of the Nalco business through a transaction involving ExxonMobil's interest. This connected Nalco's chemical and service capabilities with oilfield, refining, and other energy-industry applications. Ecolab announced an agreement to combine with Nalco in July 2011. The approximately $5.4 billion acquisition was completed in December 2011, making Nalco a wholly owned Ecolab subsidiary. The business subsequently operated under the Nalco Water identity and became part of Ecolab's broader water, hygiene, infection-prevention, and industrial-services portfolio. Nalco Water serves industrial and institutional customers with programs intended to reduce water, energy, and other resource consumption; improve air quality; limit environmental releases; protect equipment; and increase the efficiency and quality of customers' products and processes. Its customer base has included sectors such as power generation, oil and gas, refining, mining, manufacturing, food and beverage, commercial buildings, and institutional facilities. The company has reported serving more than 70,000 customers with more than 11,500 employees in over 130 countries. Its product and service portfolio includes water-treatment chemistry, monitoring and control systems, process consulting, equipment-protection programs, air-quality solutions, and specialty chemicals. One historically prominent product is Corexit, an oil dispersant used in spill-response operations, including the Deepwater Horizon response.

Nalco Water's corporate history begins in 1928 with the establishment of National Aluminate Corporation. The company was formed through the merger of Chicago Chemical Company and Aluminum Sales Corporation, creating an industrial-chemicals business in the United States. Over time, it expanded through acquisitions and moved toward a broader model combining chemical products, technical expertise, and recurring services for industrial customers. The company became Nalco Chemical Company in 1959 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964. Its acquisition of Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories in 1966 broadened its technical and laboratory capabilities. In 1984, it acquired the marine business of Bull & Roberts, later associated with Waltron, adding to its offerings for marine and industrial applications. Ownership changed substantially in the late twentieth century. Suez acquired the business in 1999, after which it was delisted and renamed Ondeo Nalco Company. In December 2003, Blackstone, Apollo Management, and Goldman Sachs Alternatives acquired Ondeo Nalco from Suez for approximately $4.2 billion. The company returned to the New York Stock Exchange in late 2004 under the name Nalco Holding Company. Nalco also developed a significant energy-industry presence. In 1994, it and Exxon Chemical Company established Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals, a joint venture serving petroleum and natural-gas customers. In 2001, the venture became part of the Nalco business through a transaction involving ExxonMobil's interest. The company's historical activities consequently covered water treatment, oilfield chemicals, refining and process chemistry, marine applications, and related industrial services. The company reported sales above $3.9 billion in 2007. In July 2011, Nalco announced a combination with Ecolab. Ecolab completed its approximately $5.4 billion acquisition in December 2011, and Nalco became a wholly owned subsidiary. It subsequently operated as Nalco Water, an Ecolab company. Under the Nalco Water identity, the business focuses on helping industrial and institutional customers manage water, energy, air quality, process efficiency, and environmental performance. Its programs combine specialty chemicals, equipment, monitoring systems, engineering, field service, and data-based optimization. The company has reported serving more than 70,000 customers and operating in more than 130 countries with over 11,500 employees. Corexit, an oil-dispersant line, is among its best-known historical products and was used during the Deepwater Horizon oil-spill response. The present-day Nalco Water business is part of Ecolab rather than an independently listed company.

1. 2011Ecolab acquisition completed

   Ecolab completes its approximately $5.4 billion acquisition, making Nalco a wholly owned subsidiary.

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2. 2004Company returns to public markets as Nalco Holding Company

   Following its private-equity acquisition, the company returns to the NYSE under the Nalco Holding Company name.

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3. 2001Energy-chemicals venture integrated

   Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals becomes part of the Nalco business through a transaction involving ExxonMobil's interest.

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4. 1999Suez acquisition and Ondeo Nalco renaming

   Suez acquires the company, which is delisted from the NYSE and renamed Ondeo Nalco Company.

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5. 1984Marine business acquired from Bull & Roberts

   The company acquires the marine business of Bull & Roberts, later associated with Waltron.

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6. 1966Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories acquired

   Nalco acquires Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories, expanding its technical and laboratory-related capabilities.

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7. 1964First New York Stock Exchange listing

   Nalco becomes a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.

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8. 1959Name changes to Nalco Chemical Company

   The company adopts the Nalco Chemical Company name as its industrial-chemicals business develops.

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9. 1928National Aluminate Corporation is established

   National Aluminate Corporation is formed through the merger of Chicago Chemical Company and Aluminum Sales Corporation, establishing the corporate lineage of Nalco Water.

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A global business-to-business provider of science-based water, energy, air-quality, and industrial-process solutions, positioned around resource efficiency, operational reliability, environmental performance, and productivity improvement.

• CorexitOil-spill dispersants

  Corexit is a line of oil dispersants associated with Nalco and used in spill-response operations. It became especially prominent after its use during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response in the Gulf of Mexico. The product is designed to break oil into smaller droplets that can disperse in water, supporting emergency response strategies, although its use has also generated public and regulatory debate.

• Industrial water-treatment programsWater treatment

  These programs combine treatment chemistry, field service, monitoring, and process expertise for industrial water systems. Applications include cooling towers, boilers, wastewater systems, membrane operations, and other water-intensive processes. The objective is to control corrosion, scale, fouling, microbiological activity, and water use while supporting equipment reliability and operating efficiency.

• Energy and petroleum process chemicalsEnergy-sector chemicals

  Nalco's energy portfolio developed through its long-standing petroleum and natural-gas activities, including the Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals joint venture. These offerings serve oilfield, refining, and related process environments, where chemical treatment and technical services are used to support production, transport, processing, equipment protection, and operational performance.

• Monitoring and control servicesIndustrial digital and technical services

  Nalco Water provides monitoring, measurement, and process-control capabilities alongside chemical programs. Such services are intended to help customers track system conditions, identify inefficiencies, manage treatment dosing, protect assets, and improve water and energy performance across industrial and institutional facilities.

• 2011Ecolab acquisitionM&A

  Ecolab and Nalco sought to combine complementary capabilities in water management, industrial services, and specialty chemistry.

  What changed. Ecolab agreed to acquire Nalco and completed the transaction in December 2011.

  Aftermath. Nalco became a wholly owned Ecolab subsidiary and subsequently operated under the Nalco Water identity.

  Acquisition value. $5.4 billion (2011)

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• 2003Private-equity acquisition from SuezM&A

  A private-equity consortium pursued the acquisition of Ondeo Nalco from Suez.

  What changed. Blackstone, Apollo Management, and Goldman Sachs Alternatives acquired the company.

  Aftermath. The business returned to the public markets in 2004 as Nalco Holding Company.

  Acquisition value. $4.2 billion (2003)

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• 1999Suez acquires NalcoM&A

  Suez acquired the company as part of its expansion into water and related industrial services.

  What changed. The company was delisted from the NYSE and renamed Ondeo Nalco Company.

  Aftermath. The business remained under Suez ownership until its sale to a private-equity group in 2003.

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• 1994Create Nalco Exxon Energy ChemicalsM&A

  Nalco and Exxon Chemical Company sought to expand their ability to serve petroleum and natural-gas customers.

  What changed. The companies formed Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals as a joint venture serving energy-industry applications.

  Aftermath. The venture became part of the Nalco business in 2001 through a transaction involving ExxonMobil's interest.

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• 2011Nalco announces combination with Ecolab

  Nalco announced a merger with Ecolab in July 2011. The transaction was completed in December, creating an Ecolab-owned water and industrial-services business.

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• 2010Nalco lobbying concerning Corexit use in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill

  OpenSecrets records lobbying expenditure by Nalco Holding Company related to the use of Corexit 9500 during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, including work directed toward Congress, the Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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• 2003Private-equity group acquires Ondeo Nalco from Suez

  Blackstone, Apollo Management, and Goldman Sachs Alternatives collaborated to acquire Ondeo Nalco from Suez, leading to the company's subsequent return to public ownership.

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• 2001Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals becomes part of the Nalco business

  The energy-chemicals venture was brought into the Nalco business through a transaction involving the redemption of ExxonMobil stock in the joint venture, strengthening Nalco's petroleum-industry position.

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• 1994Nalco and Exxon Chemical form an energy-chemicals joint venture

  Nalco and Exxon Chemical Company announced the creation of Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals to provide products and services across petroleum and natural-gas industries.

  M&AOther
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1. Nalco Water
2. OpenSecrets