Ecolab, Inc. engages in the provision of products and services in the field of water, hygiene, and energy. It operates through the following segments: Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Energy & Life Science, and Other. The Global Industrial segment consists of the water, food and beverage, paper, and downstream operating segments. It offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to industrial customers within the manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, primary metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, global petroleum, and petrochemical industries. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment consists of the institutional, specialty and healthcare operating segments. It provides cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, healthcare, government, education, and retail industries. The Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segment includes the healthcare and life sciences operations. It provides cleaning and sanitizing products to the healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries. The Other segment includes Pest Elimination operations, which provide services to detect, eliminate and prevent pests, such as rodents and insects, CTG operations, which produce and sell colloidal silica, which is comprised of nano-sized particles of silica in water used for binding and polishing applications, and Textile Care operations, which provide products and services that manage the entire wash process through custom designed programs, premium products, dispensing equipment, water and energy management and reduction, and real time data management. The company was founded by Merritt J. Osborn in 1923 and is headquartered in St. Paul, MN.