WACO
WACO Corp. is a Korean manufacturer of water and air purification systems serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 70+ countries via exclusive master dealers, with manufacturing through subsidiary Hyundai Wacortec and additional OEM/ODM services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What WACO does
WACO Corp. is a Seoul, South Korea-based manufacturer of water purification, water treatment, and air purification systems founded circa 2003-2004. The company designs and produces a broad hardware portfolio spanning residential point-of-use water coolers (including the newly launched IFev and Apollo digital series), undersink reverse osmosis (RO) systems, whole house point-of-entry treatment, bottled water coolers, commercial and industrial water treatment systems, seawater desalination systems, ultra-pure water systems, and portable bottled water factories. Air purification products are sold under the EOS sub-brand, including wearable HEPA-filter personal air purifiers and digital air purifiers, while bidets (electrical and non-electrical) are sold under the WACO HDB and bobslei brands. Core technologies include reverse osmosis filtration, UV LED sterilization, Silver Ion Sterilization (SIS), and patented non-powered self-priming and pressurizing portable RO equipment, supported by an IP portfolio spanning nine or more registered patents, multiple design registrations, and WIPO-registered trademarks.
The company manufactures through its wholly-owned subsidiary Hyundai Wacortec, which operates factories in Seoul (a second factory was added in 2013) and a foreign branch in Guatemala established in 2014 for Central American operations. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of branded water and air purification products, supplemented by OEM/ODM contract manufacturing services for third-party brands. Products are exported to more than 70 countries through a network of exclusive master dealers, with direct export and KOTRA-supported market entry into target regions including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, CB mark, FDA Establishment Registration, and various country-specific safety certifications, and has received Korean National Brand nomination, Global Hidden Champions designation, and IP Star Business recognition. It is led by President and CEO Y. S. Shin.
WACO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WACO
- Legal name
- WACO Corp.
- Website
- https://waco-corp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- WACO Corp. is a Korean manufacturer of water and air purification systems serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 70+ countries via exclusive master dealers, with manufacturing through subsidiary Hyundai Wacortec and additional OEM/ODM services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WACO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Purification Equipment
- NAICS
- Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems (Residential) (CRAJAJAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Desalination Plant EPC, O&M & Performance Optimization (EUANAFAK), Bulk Bottled Water Production (Large Format, Home/Office Delivery) (AFAFACAH)
Keywords
Where WACO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
WACO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Water Purifier Sales: Sale of residential and commercial water purifiers, dispensers, and related products under the WACO brand globally.
- Air Purifier Sales: Sale of air purifiers including wearable air purifiers and digital air purification systems.
- OEM/ODM Business: Original Equipment Manufacturing and Original Design Manufacturing services for water treatment products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
WACO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WACO Corp. designs, manufactures, and globally distributes water purification systems (POU water coolers, undersink RO systems, whole-house POE systems, portable purifiers, industrial RO and seawater desalination systems), air purifiers including wearable models, and electrical/non-electrical bidets. The company also offers OEM/ODM contract manufacturing services for water treatment products under partner brands. Products are sold under the WACO brand plus sub-brands EOS (air purifiers) and bobslei (bidets).
Product overview
WACO Corp. is a Korean water purification and air treatment specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of water treatment and air purification products. The core offerings include next-generation digital water purifiers (IFev and Apollo series), Point of Use (POU) water coolers and dispensers, undersink RO systems, whole house water treatment systems, commercial and industrial water treatment solutions, seawater desalination systems, and air purifiers including wearable models. The company also manufactures bidets (electrical and non-electrical), water filters and cartridges, and provides OEM/ODM manufacturing services. With over 20 years of expertise and exports to more than 70 countries, WACO positions itself as a leading K-Brand in global water purification, targeting expansion into Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- bobslei: Non-electrical bidet brand
- EOS
- Naturife
Products and services
- IFev Series Digital Water Purifier Next-generation digital water purifier featuring smart controls, health management tools, UV LED sterilization and Silver Ion Sterilization for residential and commercial drinking water.
- Apollo Series Digital Water Purifier Next-generation digital water purifier with smart controls and health management tools, designed to meet regional water quality needs and cultural preferences for residential and commercial use.
- POU Water Cooler (Infinite Series)
Companies that use WACO
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
WACO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
WACO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Hyundai WacorteccoreHyundai Wacortec was established in 2004 as a manufacturing entity for WACO products. The company operates factories in Seoul (second factory established in 2013) and has a foreign branch in Guatemala. This represents a core manufacturing partnership for production of water treatment equipment.
- KOTRA (Korea Trade Promotion Corporation)majorWACO Corp. has worked extensively with KOTRA for export promotion, international exhibition participation, and market entry support. The company was selected as a Global Brand Firm by KOTRA and participated in various KOTRA-organized events including Fukuoka KOREA-JAPAN Venture Fair, defense industry procurement programs, and FTA export leader initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WACO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Culligan International: Culligan is a global water treatment company offering residential, commercial, and industrial filtration and RO systems through a franchised dealer network in 90+ countries. Closely aligned business model to WACO with similar distributor-led export approach and broad product range.
- Coway: Coway is Korea's leading home water purifier and air purifier company, offering direct sales and rental models for residential RO and POU systems globally. Most direct comparable peer to WACO given shared Korean origin, product portfolio overlap, and global export footprint.
Others
- Hyflux (Water Solutions): Hyflux operates in industrial water treatment and seawater desalination, addressing the industrial and municipal segments WACO serves with its seawater RO and ultra-pure water systems.
Regional players
- Kent RO Systems: Kent RO is a major Indian residential water purifier company with broad product range including RO, UV, and gravity-based filters. Comparable consumer RO portfolio and OEM capability, focused on South Asian markets.
- Eureka Forbes: Eureka Forbes is India's leading water purifier and air purifier brand with strong direct-sales distribution. Comparable consumer-facing purifier business model but focused primarily on the Indian market versus WACO's export orientation.
Broad incumbents
- Pentair: Pentair is a global water treatment and flow technology company providing residential filtration, commercial RO, and industrial desalination systems. Overlapping product portfolio across residential and industrial water treatment markets WACO addresses.
- 3M Purification: 3M offers Filtrete and Liqui-Cel filtration solutions across residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment segments. Comparable industrial filtration capability and global brand reach.
- LG Electronics (Water Solutions): LG offers residential water purifiers and air purifiers alongside its broader appliance portfolio, competing with WACO across home-use categories. Direct overlap in Korean smart purifier segment and global export markets.
- A.O. Smith Corporation: A.O. Smith is a global water technology company offering residential water heaters, whole-house filtration, and RO systems across multiple geographies. Comparable in residential and commercial water treatment with broader portfolio scale.
- Brita (The Clorox Company): Brita is a global leader in residential water filtration, including pitcher filters and under-sink systems. Overlaps with WACO's home-use filter and undersink RO portfolio with much broader retail distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WACO social profiles
Digital presenceWACO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WACO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WACO subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
WACO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WACO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WACO
What does WACO do?
WACO Corp. designs, manufactures, and globally distributes water purification systems (POU water coolers, undersink RO systems, whole-house POE systems, portable purifiers, industrial RO and seawater desalination systems), air purifiers including wearable models, and electrical/non-electrical bidets. The company also offers OEM/ODM contract manufacturing services for water treatment products under partner brands. Products are sold under the WACO brand plus sub-brands EOS (air purifiers) and bobslei (bidets).
Is WACO a public or private company?
WACO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was WACO founded?
WACO was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is WACO based?
WACO is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does WACO make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Water Purifier Sales are the primary driver. The others are air Purifier Sales and OEM/ODM Business.
Who are WACO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Culligan International and Coway. Hyflux (Water Solutions) is listed as an others. Regional players are Kent RO Systems and Eureka Forbes. Broad incumbents are Pentair, 3M Purification, LG Electronics (Water Solutions), A.O. Smith Corporation and Brita (The Clorox Company).
Does WACO have an API?
No public API is recorded for WACO.
What industry is WACO in?
WACO's product category is Water Purification Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAJAJAK, Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems (Residential), with a secondary code of EUANAFAK, Desalination Plant EPC, O&M & Performance Optimization. Its NAICS code is 333413 and its SIC code is 4941.