Robert B. Hill Co. adds ECI Water assets and proprietary control platform

Robert B. Hill Co. has acquired ECI Water’s technology, product catalog and customer base, giving the St. Louis Park, Minnesota company its first proprietary control platform under its own name. The deal expands Hill Water’s commercial and industrial offering into larger softening and filtration projects, including iron and manganese removal.

Why it matters: - The acquisition gives Robert B. Hill Co. a proprietary control platform it can now sell under its own name for the first time. - The expanded lineup lets Hill Water bid on more complex projects that combine high-capacity softening with iron and manganese filtration. - The move strengthens Hill Water’s position with dealers and commercial end users that need one vendor for an integrated system.

What happened: - Robert B. Hill Co. acquired ECI Water’s technology, product catalog and customer base from ECI Water’s original manufacturer. - The deal brings the VIP control system into Hill Water’s core product line. - The company announced the acquisition from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, on Oct. 15, 2026. - Hill Water now includes ECI Water products in its commercial and industrial water treatment portfolio.

The details: - The VIP-1E and VIP-2/3E controls handle configurations from single-tank simplex water softeners through triplex water softeners. - The platform pairs with Greensand Plus filtration for iron and manganese removal. - Hill Water says the filtration and softening range extends from small commercial applications to large-scale industrial applications. - The ECI line is sold exclusively to dealers and commercial end users. - Target customers include car wash manufacturers, boiler system integrators and industrial equipment builders. - Those buyers use the systems for particle-free process water or high-efficiency softening at scale. - Robert B. Hill Co. has served water treatment customers since 1958. - The company plans to expand application engineering and technical support around the platform. - More information is available in the company's announcement.

Between the lines: - The acquisition fills a gap in Hill Water’s existing commercial softeners line by adding capabilities that previously required another vendor. - The single-vendor setup can simplify quoting, system design and project delivery for customers with complex water treatment needs. - The deal also broadens Hill Water’s dealer network without adding a second supplier relationship.

What's next: - Hill Water plans to build more application engineering support around the newly acquired platform. - The company will likely use the ECI assets to compete for larger projects that need both softening and filtration in one package. - The expanded product set should give Hill Water more options with dealers and industrial customers going forward.