ADD MULTIMEDIA Sweden’s Bluewater merges with Denver-based floating water and creates global power package for drinking water purification
STOCKHOLM & DENVER – (BUSINESS WIRE) – With a joint mission to eliminate plastic waste and provide safe, ultra-clean and tasty drinking water, Stockholm-based Bluewater and Denver, Colorado-based FloWater today announced their merger in a move that will change the water industry worldwide. The two companies say the merger will help accelerate the innovation of new drinking water purification products, drive expansion into new markets and achieve economies of scale in the efficiency of the manufacturing and supply chain in a world after Covid.
Bluewater was founded in 2013 by the Swedish environmental entrepreneur Bengt Rittri in the sale of his former air purification company for indoor air, Blueair, to the consumer goods giant Unilever. Today, Bluewater has grown into a global innovator of market-leading water purification solutions for homes, businesses and public outlets with sales in Europe, the Middle East, China and Southeast Asia, the United States and South Africa. Bluewater has production facilities in Sweden and China and assembly operations in the United Kingdom.
FloWater was founded by Rich Razgaitis in 2013 and has been led by him ever since. FloWater has been recognized by Inc. Magazine for three years in a row as one of the fastest growing, privately owned companies in the United States. FloWater now has approximately 7,500 new-tech FloWater Refill Stations installed in schools, gyms, offices and hotels across the United States. The FloWater brand has become a popular alternative to plastic water bottles and has saved over 350 million plastic water bottles from seas, lakes, rivers and landfills since its launch. FloWater’s filling stations are on target and will save one billion plastic water bottles from entering the environment by the end of 2022. FloWater’s customers include major global brands including: Red Bull, Apple, Marriott, Peloton, United Airlines, Warby Parker and Google.
“This union is an important milestone for Bluewater in our efforts to scale up and strengthen our position in the global domestic, commercial and public water supply industry,” said Bluewater founder and CEO Bengt Rittri, who also has strategic investments in several other environmentally innovative and mission-driven business.
Bengt will formally lead the new merged unit as CEO, although the two companies will continue to operate under their existing brands. FloWater’s CEO, Rich Razgaitis, will continue to lead FloWater’s US and international operations.
Speaking at FloWater’s headquarters in Denver, CO, Razgaitis said: “Today’s transaction positions FloWater to significantly grow its footprint beyond our over 7,500 corporate customers and our fanatical consumer base across the country.” He added, “Our mission remains unchanged: to deliver the world’s best tasting and most reliable drinking water wherever people work, rest and play. This will be strengthened by the strength of joining Bluewater, who share the same vision and mission.”
The merger will enable the two companies to leverage each other’s expertise in consumer and business water dispensing, R & D and global commercialization and delivery capabilities. In addition, the agreement will enable both brands to leverage their strengths in event and arena operations in Europe and North America to help expand globally into other key markets in the Middle East, China and South Asia. Bluewater has a strong presence in the sports world with its outdoor water filling stations and durable, reusable bottles serving prestigious customers such as the British Open and AIG Women’s Open golf tournaments, Formula E motor racing and sailing events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and the classic French TJV race. FloWater’s event customers include: CrossFit Games, Coachella, LiveNation, Rose Bowl Stadium and Aspen X Games.
“We are particularly positive about the extent to which this partnership will enable us to achieve together and the associated benefits in all our markets in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific as we work together to become a true global player and competitiveness. in our industry, “said Bengt Rittri.
“I’m pleased that our FloWater team is teaming up with a global innovator like Bluewater. This merger gives us another big step towards ending its ‘big bottled water’ business by providing superior disposable plastic alternatives with the world’s. best tasting and reliable water, says Razgaitis. “Everyone deserves access to clean, tasty drinking water, and the environment deserves to be free of plastic water bottles. Today, this merger brings together two passionate teams committed to making this a reality around the world. ”
For more information about Bluewater: https://www.bluewatergroup.com
On Flowater: https://www.drinkflowater.com
About Bluewater
Honored with two Fast Company World Changing Ideas Awards, a K&B Kitchen Innovation of the Year Award, and featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The Hollywood Reporter and The Daily Telegraph, Bluewater renews, manufactures and commercializes compact water purifiers for homes, businesses, and the public dispensing. Bluewater uses the new generation of patented reverse osmosis technology to remove virtually all contaminants, from toxic metals, chemicals and microplastics to limescale deposits. World-leading sporting events such as the British Open take advantage of Bluewater’s unique public hydration ecosystem to stop the need for disposable plastic bottles. Bluewater supports the UN Environment Clean Sea’s initiative to reverse the development of plastics and collects one kilogram of plastic from sea shores for every sustainable Bluewater bottle sold. www.bluewatergroup.com.
About FloWater
Recognized by Inc. and that Economic times as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States and honored by Fast company as a world-changing idea, FloWater is the world’s first company to build a comprehensive platform of water purification products. The FloWater team is passionate about eliminating plastic waste and providing safe, tasty drinking water to everyone, wherever they are. Today, some of the world’s best brands moisturize with FloWater, including Hyatt, Google, Red Bull, Play Station, Specialized Bikes, Microsoft, Club Pilates, Hulu, Urban Remedy and O’Neill. FloWater provides meaningful effects for health and well-being, increases hydration by 200-500% while consumption of coffee and sugary drinks decreases by 50%. Since the company’s launch, FloWater’s filling stations have saved over 350 million plastic water bottles from entering the environment and aim to reach one billion by the end of 2022. For more information, visit www.drinkflowater.com and follow FloWater further Facebook and Instagram.