Katadyn History

Katadyn is the market leader in portable water treatment.  Since 1928, our history has been one of innovation and durability. Katadyn’s unique products provide safety and convenience for many user groups including militaries, health organizations, and outdoor adventurers worldwide. No other water system provides higher quality or longer lasting performance.

Over the years, Katadyn has taken the necessary steps to build a reliable name in the water treatment market, while working to develop the brand in other relevant categories. We strive to provide quality and efficiency in everything we do.

The launch of PremiumVoyage and PharmaVoyage

Katadyn expands into the travel market with the introduction of these high-quality travel acessories.

Establishment of Katadyn Deutschland GmbH

Purchase of Trekking-Mahlzeiten GmbH of Frankfurt. Trekking-Mahlzeiten is the largest ready-meals specialist in Europe for the outdoor market. Their freeze-dried meals provide exceptional nourishment for travelers and expeditionists, by simply adding water.

Trekking-Mahlzeiten and Certisil combine to form Katadyn Deutschland GmbH.

Purchase of OCO AG, Volketswil-Zürich

Our entry into the world of plastic injections - from now on, Katadyn can produce its own filter housings.

Take-over of the brand PharmaVoyage in France
Katadyn begins building up a business for travel accessories.

Establishment of Katadyn France

Katadyn strenghtens its market position in France and its overseas territories by buying Atmosph’air des Montagnes S.a.r.l. of Grenoble/France.

Establishment of Katadyn Singapore

katadyn enters the Asian markets with the opening of the business office.

Establishment of Certisil GmbH, Munich

The marketing and production rights of the Certisil brand are purchased by Katadyn. Not only does this form Certisil GmbH, a new and wholly owned subsidiary of Katadyn, but it expands our product range to drinking water disinfection and vehicle care, where Certisil is already well established in the camping and caravan markets. 

Katadyn North America is established

Fusion of all American activities are now coordinated from Minneapolis, MN.

Purchase of PUR Inc., Minneapolis/USA

Katadyn continues to expand their product line by acquiring the outdoor division of PUR Inc., a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble Inc. Katadyn is now the North American market leader for personal filtration devices, purifiers, and portable desalinators.

Purchase of Exstream Water Technologies Inc., Milwaukee/USA

Katadyn widens its product range by taking over Exstream, the US market leader in personal water purifier bottles.

Going public as WEDECO Watertechnology AG at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange

The business becomes the UV-market leader as it splits off from the UV-drinking water sector, and partners with Wedeco GmbH/D.

Management buy-out

Adrian Schmassmann and partners acquire the Katadyn business. The new strategy is to diversify the business into the travel market and to become the market leader in mobile water treatment.

Establishment of Katadyn USA

By establishing Katadyn USA, the Swiss business takes its first steps abroad.

Acquisition of Keller AG in Bergdietikon

This is Katadyn's entry into municipal water processing with UV-irradiation.

Move to Wallisellen-Zürich

Katadyn opens its head office and production facilities in Wallisellen-Zürich.

Professor Georg Alexander Krause, engineer and inventor, is the first to develop the method of using electrolysis to deposit silver ions in polluted water to eliminate bacteria.

In the 19th century, the Swiss professor of botany, Carl Wilhelm von Nägeli shows for the first time the disinfectant qualities of silver. He uses the expression “oligodynamics” on his discovery. The oligodynamic effect is still used today for the preservation of drinking water ("Trinkwasser") in mobile water containers (on board ships, aircraft, in camping).

The disinfectant effect of silver was known already in antiquity. It was noted that water in silver vessels stayed drinkable longer than water in other vessels.