Ecolab to Buy Data Center Cooling Firm CoolIT From KKR Funds (1)

Ecolab Inc. has agreed to buy CoolIT Systems Inc., a company that develops cooling technology for AI data centers, in a $4.75 billion all-cash deal.

Ecolab, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based company that supplies water and hygiene services for industries including industrial businesses and energy companies, is acquiring CoolIT from funds managed by KKR & Co., according to a company statement Friday. The firms expect the deal to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Data center construction has boomed in recent years as artificial intelligence systems send computing demand soaring. Technology companies have been exploring new ways to ...