Culligan Italiana

What Culligan Italiana does

Culligan Italiana S.p.A. is the Italian operating subsidiary of Culligan International, the global water-treatment group owned since 2021 by investment funds affiliated with BDT & MSD Partners (with Waterlogic folded into the group in 2022). Founded in Italy in 1960 and headquartered in Bologna, the company supplies residential, commercial, Ho.Re.Ca., healthcare, education, and industrial customers with point-of-use and point-of-entry water-treatment systems, including mains-fed dispensers (Purity, Selfizz), bottled-water dispensers (CB Premium, CB Core, CB Ultra, Goccione), reverse-osmosis and ultrafiltration systems (AC SLIM+, UF SLIM+, Click & Drink, UNICO), and water softeners (Smart Modernity, Avenew, Evolife). Its proprietary Firewall UVC purification technology, patented Smart Modernity softener algorithms, and CE / DM 25/2012 / ISO 9001 certifications underpin a technology stack spanning microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, ion-exchange softening, and UVC disinfection, with select product lines 100% Made in Italy.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model anchored on the Italian "comodato d'uso" rental model: equipment is installed at the customer premise for free under a recurring monthly subscription that bundles maintenance, filter replacement, sanitization, and technical support by certified Culligan technicians. Direct-purchase and DIY channels (shop.culligan.it) complement the rental core, alongside annual maintenance contracts (€120–160 per year), consumables (filters, salt, CO2), and programmed bottled-water delivery in 12L/18L/18.9L formats. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales with free in-home water analysis, an inside-sales quote-request funnel, product-led trial campaigns (14-day to 90-day), and event-driven brand activations (e.g., Termal Bologna Marathon 2026). Over 5,000 Italian companies are stated as daily customers, supported by a parent-group ecosystem of 1,000+ dealers across 90+ countries and a global installed base of 6 million households and 2.5 million offices.

Name

Culligan Italiana

Legal name

Culligan Italiana S.p.A.

Website

https://culligan.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Culligan Italiana S.p.A., the Italian subsidiary of Culligan International (owned by BDT & MSD Partners), supplies residential, commercial, and Ho.Re.Ca. customers with mains-fed and bottled water dispensers, reverse-osmosis and ultrafiltration systems, and water softeners, sold primarily through a recurring rental-and-maintenance subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Treatment Equipment

NAICS

Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Countertop Water Filtration Systems (CRAJAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

UV Water Purification Systems (Residential) (CRAJAJAJ)

Keywords

• Water treatment systems
• Water filtration solutions
• Water dispensers
• Water softening equipment
• Reverse osmosis systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Castel Guelfo Di Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental / Leasing (Comodato d'Uso): Water treatment equipment (water dispensers, softeners, filtration systems) is provided to customers in 'comodato d'uso' (free loan/rental arrangement). Customers pay a recurring monthly fee for the equipment plus maintenance services. This is a core revenue model for both residential and business segments, particularly for dispensers and softeners. The model includes installation, regular sanitization, filter replacement, and technical support.
2. Equipment Sales (One-Time Purchase): Customers can purchase water treatment products outright (acquisto) as an alternative to rental. Products available for direct purchase include filtration systems, water dispensers, and accessories. DIY (Fai da Te) products are sold through the Culligan online shop (shop.culligan.it) for self-installation.
3. Maintenance and Service Contracts: Annual maintenance contracts covering filter replacement, system sanitization, parameter verification, and water quality testing. Maintenance costs range from €120 to €160 per year. Contract continuity can extend product warranty up to 10 years (e.g., AC Slim+ reverse osmosis systems). Provided by certified Culligan technicians.
4. Consumables (Filters, Salt, CO2, Accessories): Recurring revenue from consumable products: replacement filters, water softener salt, CO2 cylinders for sparkling water, and accessories (flasks, bottles). Consumables are sold through the Culligan online shop (shop.culligan.it) with home delivery.
5. Bottled Water Delivery (Goccioni/Boccioni): Delivery service for pre-filled water bottles (boccioni/goccioni) to residential and office customers. Available in 12L, 18L, and 18.9L formats. Culligan was among the first to introduce bottled water dispensers in Italy, imported from the United States. Bottles are collected, refurbished, and reused (100% recycled).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Culligan Italiana designs, manufactures, distributes and services water treatment systems for the residential, office and Ho.Re.Ca. (hospitality) markets in Italy. Its core offering comprises mains-fed and bottled water dispensers, reverse osmosis and micro/ultrafiltration drinking water purification units, and ion-exchange water softeners, sold through rental (comodato d'uso), outright purchase and recurring maintenance contracts with certified in-home technician support.

Product overview

Culligan Italiana offers a comprehensive water treatment solutions portfolio spanning three segments: Home (Casa), Office (Ufficio), and Ho.Re.Ca. The product ecosystem centers on water dispensers (both bottle-fed and mains-connected), advanced filtration systems (microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis), and water softeners. Key product lines include the Purity line (Purity Prime, Purity Advanced, Purity Essential) for offices featuring Firewall UVC technology; Selfizz/ CB Premium/Core/Ultra dispensers for homes and offices; AC SLIM+ reverse osmosis and UF SLIM+ ultrafiltration systems for drinking water; and Smart Modernity, Avenew, and Evolife water softeners. The portfolio is complemented by specialized taps (QX3, QX5, Click & Drink), accessories (bottles, CO2 cylinders, salt), and Ho.Re.Ca-specific solutions like Aquabar IT 80, ICE filters, and Osmo Food systems. Products are available through purchase or rental models with installation and maintenance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Culligan Purity: Commercial water dispensers for offices with patented Firewall purification technology providing water filtered against lead, PFAS, microplastics and other contaminants.
• Selfizz
• AC SLIM+
• Smart Modernity
• Goccione

Products and services

• Purity Prime Freestanding Freestanding mains-fed office water dispenser offering still, chilled, sparkling, hot, and lightly sparkling water with modern design and intuitive interface; targets offices and corporate environments.
• Purity Prime Soprabanco Countertop mains-fed water dispenser connected to water supply with five dispensing modes and 24/7 smart monitoring; for offices and small workplaces.
• Purity Advanced Advanced mains-fed office water dispenser with intelligent monitoring delivering cleaner, safer water with excellent taste at every sip.
• Purity Essential Entry-level mains-fed office dispenser with automatic water quality and filter status monitoring and elegant innovative design.
• CB Premium Bottled water dispenser (goccione) with nature-inspired texture, high filling area for bottles, available in white and black; targets residential customers.
• CB Core Bottled water dispenser with extra durable scratch-resistant surface, compatible with all water bottle formats, in white or black; targets offices.
• CB Ultra

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 million households and 2.5 million offices worldwide use Culligan filtered water daily
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Plastic Free OnluscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Culligan partnered with Plastic Free Onlus for the 2025 World Environment Day celebrations to take concrete action for a future without plastic bottles. This partnership aligns with Culligan's commitment to eliminating single-use plastic and promoting sustainability.
• United Nations Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Culligan is a signatory member of the UN Global Compact since 2023, committing to sustainable and socially responsible business practices. The Compact encourages businesses to adopt sustainable policies and report on their implementation.
• EcoVadiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Culligan facilities in Austria, Italy, Germany, France, and Australia are certified EcoVadis, covering Environment, Ethics, Labor and Human Rights, and Sustainable Procurement. Culligan Germany achieved Gold Medal in 2023. EcoVadis assesses corporate sustainability performance.
• Water CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Water Council is a non-profit organization committed to solving global water challenges by driving sector innovation and promoting responsible water management. Culligan has been a member since 1996.
• Water Quality AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Water Quality Association is a non-profit organization for the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment sector. Culligan has been a member since 1996, demonstrating commitment to industry standards and water quality excellence.
• UN Water Coalition / CEO Water MandatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulligan is a supporting member of the UN Water Coalition through the CEO Water Mandate, which aims to raise business awareness of global water challenges through responsible water management in collaboration with the United Nations, governments, and civil society. Culligan is committed to positive water impact.
• Water Resilience CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Water Resilience Coalition is a CEO-led initiative of companies working to address the global water crisis. Culligan serves as a supporting member, contributing expertise in water treatment and filtration to improve water resilience worldwide.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSR is a global network of over 300 companies committed to creating better business through sustainable and innovative practices. Culligan is a member, gaining access to sustainability best practices and peer networks.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EcoWater Systems: Direct competitor in residential and commercial water softening and filtration, with a similar dealer/service-driven model in Europe and globally. Compares closely on product line (softeners, RO), rental/service revenue mix, and target customer segments.
• BWT (Best Water Technology): European water treatment leader offering point-of-entry and point-of-use filtration, softening, and dispensers, with Cillit as a sub-brand in Italy. Closely comparable product portfolio, Ho.Re.Ca. focus, and European dealer footprint to Culligan Italiana.
• BRITA GmbH: Global consumer water filtration brand ( pitchers, undersink, dispenser solutions for office and Ho.Re.Ca.) with strong European retail and B2B presence. Directly comparable on filtration technology and office/Ho.Re.Ca. dispenser offerings.
• Kinetico: Specialist in residential and commercial water softening and filtration using non-electric, twin-tank technology. Comparable product focus and dealer/service distribution model to Culligan Italiana.

Broad incumbents

• Pentair: Large diversified water treatment company offering residential, commercial, and industrial filtration, softening, and pumping solutions. Broader portfolio and global scale than Culligan Italiana but overlapping product categories and channel models.
• 3M Purification (now Solventum/independent): Major manufacturer of filtration media and systems for residential, food service, and industrial water treatment. Comparable on filtration technology stack (carbon, RO, UF) but serves as a component/equipment supplier to broader markets than Culligan's service-led model.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water services and technology provider spanning municipal and industrial water treatment. Overlaps with Culligan on advanced treatment (RO, UF) and Ho.Re.Ca./industrial applications, though focused on larger infrastructure-scale projects.

Emerging players

• Aquaphor: Growing European/Asian water filtration brand offering under-sink RO and pitcher systems. Comparable on residential filtration technology and pricing competition with Culligan's Unico/AC SLIM+ lines.
• HydroNovation (Hydropath): Specialist in water conditioning and scale-prevention technology for residential and commercial use. Adjacent technology focus that intersects with Culligan's water softening business in the Italian market.

Others

• Waterlogic (now part of Culligan): Former direct competitor in office water dispensers (POU) that merged into Culligan in 2022. No longer a separate peer but illustrates the consolidated competitive landscape in POU office water.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/culliganitalia
• Facebookfacebook.com/CulliganItalia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/culligan-italia
• Instagraminstagram.com/culligan_italia
• Xx.com/culligan_italia

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Culligan Italiana