Ecolab, Inc. (Saint Paul, Minn.).

Ecolab is a St. Paul-based, multinational developer and manufacturer of cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance products, equipment, systems, and services for the hospitality, institutional, and industrial markets. Products include dish washing detergents, disinfectants, floor care and odor control products, specialty cleaning products, and product dispensing equipment. Important early products included a powdered detergent for institutional electric dishwashing machines (1925) and a floor and wall cleaner (1934), both marketed under the trade name "Soilax."

Ecolab was founded in St. Paul in February 1923 by Merritt J. Osborn. It was incorporated in 1924, and until the 1980s was known as Economics Laboratory, Inc. The name of the firm was changed in 1986/1987 to Ecolab, Inc. For many years the company's headquarters office was located in the Guardian Building in downtown St. Paul. In 1968 the firm moved to the Osborn Building, its new office tower a few blocks away in the Capital Centre redevelopment area. Economics Laboratory made its first public offering of common stock in 1957.

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