Water Is Life Group (WILG) is a European group, headquartered in Pelt, active in production, distribution and sales of pump- and irrigation systems and piping solutions for infrastructure projects. In recent years the group has grown rapidly, amongst others by acquiring several other companies in the sector. Down2Earth Capital II (D2E) and Vectis Private Equity IV are acquiring a stake in the company to further support this growth. Management remains on board and reinvests in the group as well.
The story of WILG began in 1988 in Achel when Reinier Teunissen founded Watertechniek Teunissen, a wholesaler in water pumps and related supplies. Throughout the years Watertechniek Teunissen has grown organically, with two locations today, while other activities were developed. The distribution activities of MPI and Aubia were acquired, and the group became an important European importer of Asian pump manufacturer Leo Pumps. Since the acquisition of Well Pumps last year, the group also develops and produces its own submersible pumps. In 2022, the internationalisation was accelerated with the acquisition of Orlando, an international distributor, in Italy and Motix, a specialist in piping systems, in the Netherlands. Today the group counts 10 operating companies and will realize a turnover of almost 50M€ this year.
Founder Reinier Teunissen sees a bright future: “In general, water management will become more important because of increasing periods of draught, alternated with periods of heavy rainfall. The further professionalisation of agriculture and horticulture will also boost demand for advanced irrigation systems.” He adds: “For two years we’ve also been active in the geothermal sector. This technology is still in its early days, but it will rapidly gain importance when people look for more efficient ways to heat their houses and buildings.”
Over the past decennia the company has established a strong reputation in Limburg and far beyond. “We differentiate ourselves from other players in the market not only by our extensive assortment of products, but also by providing our clients with tailormade advice”, explains Raf Corten, CEO. The company is now fully ready to continue its expansion internationally. After the recent acquisitions of Orlando and Motix, other potential acquisition targets have been approached. “We’re very happy to take on board Down2Earth and Vectis as they can offer strong support to realize our ambitious plans”, says Reinier Teunissen.
“From the first time we met, we have been impressed by the vision and entrepreneurship of Reinier. We are incredibly looking forward to working together” says Ivo Marechal from Down2Earth. “We were already following the company for a while and we witnessed its spectacular trajectory. We are 100% ready to write the next chapter of the company together with Reinier, Raf and their team” says Stefaan Vanquaethem of Vectis.