Fluidra, a worldwide leader in the pool and wellness industry and global manufacturer of equipment and connected solutions, announced it has acquired Taylor Water Technologies LLC (Taylor), a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of water-testing solutions.
Taylor joins Fluidra’s family of already distinguished brands, including Jandy, Polaris, iAquaLink and S.R.Smith. The addition of Taylor’s highly trusted water-testing kits, strips and instruments in North America not only broadens Fluidra’s rapidly growing portfolio of pool and spa products and solutions, but also provides an established foundation in water testing from which the company can build upon with future innovations.
Founded in 1930 and based out of Sparks, Md., Taylor is a recognized leader in water-testing kits and reagents in the residential and commercial pool segments. With a catalog of nearly 600 test-kit configurations, their products are carried by over 400 distributors throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico with growing positions outside of North America. The previous 12 month’s sales totaled $26 million with an EBITDA of $8.5 million.
“This is an important acquisition for Fluidra and will greatly enhance our offering,” says Bruce Brooks, chief executive officer of Fluidra. “Taylor is the most trusted name in water testing within North America, and their expertise, coupled with Fluidra’s track record of delivering new equipment and IoT solutions, will pave the way for future innovations that make managing water care easier for both pool professionals and pool owners.”
“It’s exciting to become a part of Fluidra,” says Stephen Heard, chief executive officer of Taylor. “We each bring unique expertise as part of the large, multi-segment pool market and are focused on combining those building blocks to provide best-in-class solutions for our customers.”
Following the acquisition, Taylor will continue to operate independently as a business within Fluidra. Stephen Heard will continue to lead Taylor as its senior vice president and general manager and will report to Troy Franzen, president of Fluidra North America. The Taylor team and its base of operations will remain in Maryland.
McGuireWoods acted as legal advisor to Fluidra. Stephens acted as sell-side advisor to Taylor, while Lowenstein Sandler acted as their legal advisor.
