Finance
Ecolab Nearing Deal to Acquire KKR's Data-Center Cooling Company for up to $5 Billion, Wsj Reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 19, 2026
1 min readLast updated: March 19, 2026
Quick Summary
Ecolab is reportedly close to acquiring CoolIT Systems—KKR’s data‑center liquid‑cooling business—for $4.5–5 billion, marking a significant premium over earlier valuations and reinforcing Ecolab’s push into AI‑driven infrastructure cooling.
Ecolab Approaching $5B Acquisition of KKR’s Data-Center Cooling Firm CoolIT
Potential Acquisition Deal Details
Overview of the Transaction
March 19 (Reuters) - Ecolab is nearing a deal to acquire data-center cooling company CoolIT Systems from KKR for between $4.5 billion and $5 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Sources and Reporting
(Reporting by Sumit Saha in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
Key Takeaways
- •Ecolab, already expanding its cooling portfolio for data centers, would supercharge its Cooling‑as‑a‑Service offering with CoolIT’s advanced liquid‑cooling tech. (investor.ecolab.com)
- •CoolIT, acquired by KKR in 2023 for a modest valuation, is now potentially being sold for over $4.5 billion—a roughly ten‑fold gain. (trustfinance.com)
- •The deal underscores surging demand for energy‑efficient, AI‑optimized cooling solutions in data centers amid booming infrastructure build‑out. (datacenterdynamics.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Ecolab nearing deal to acquire KKR's data-center cooling company for up to $5 billion, WSJ reports
1Who is Ecolab planning to acquire?
Ecolab is nearing a deal to acquire CoolIT Systems, a data-center cooling company owned by KKR.
2What is the estimated value of the Ecolab-CoolIT Systems deal?
The deal is valued between $4.5 billion and $5 billion, according to the report.
3Which company currently owns CoolIT Systems?
CoolIT Systems is currently owned by investment firm KKR.
