What was the acquisition price of CoolIT Systems by Ecolab, and what return did KKR achieve on its investment?

Ecolab acquired CoolIT Systems from KKR for $4.75 billion, generating an approximately 15x return for KKR.

How did KKR's employee ownership program impact CoolIT Systems' employees following the acquisition?

As a result of the sale, many tenured employees at CoolIT Systems received a bonus equivalent to about eight times their current base salary, due to KKR’s employee ownership program, which is implemented in 85 of KKR's portfolio companies and credited with driving higher employee engagement, retention, and profitability.

Ecolab Acquires CoolIT Systems from KKR for $4.75 Billion

May 7, 2026

Ecolab has acquired data center cooling firm CoolIT Systems from KKR for $4.75 billion. Tenured employees at CoolIT will receive significant bonuses as part of the transaction.

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