MILWAUKEE — Water heater and boiler manufacturer A. O. Smith Corp. has acquired Water Tec of Tucson, an Arizona-based water treatment company, in an all-cash transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Water Tec joins other recent A. O. Smith acquisitions — Atlantic Filter (2022), Master Water Corporation (2021), Water-Right Group (2019), Hague Quality Water (2017), and Aquasana (2016) — in the company’s growing water-treatment business in North America, a press release from the company said.
“The acquisition of Water Tec further expands our West Coast presence and supports our growth strategy,” said Kevin J. Wheeler, A.O. Smith president and CEO. “A. O. Smith delivers innovative, differentiated solutions that heat and treat water, and Water Tec aligns perfectly with our values and commitment to quality.”
The second-generation, family-owned Water Tec was founded in 1967 and is based in Tucson, with an assembly location in Las Vegas. Water Tec is a manufacturer and dealer of water-treatment equipment for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial use. Water Tec’s products are sold through its retail dealership, located in Tucson.
“I am very pleased the business founded by my parents, along with our family legacy, will continue to thrive as a result of this acquisition,” said Leigh DeGrave, owner and president of Water Tec. “As a global water solutions company, A. O. Smith brings great expertise and resources to our organization, allowing for growth in markets we would not have otherwise been able to penetrate.”
Jennifer and Leigh DeGrave, along with their son Hunter, will stay with Water Tec. They will continue operating it of their Tucson and Las Vegas locations.