U.S. Filter Buys 12 Firms in Expansion Drive

United States Filter Corp. said it completed 12 acquisitions for undisclosed terms and plans to make five more as part of a strategy to expand its businesses and services worldwide. The water and water-treatment systems company’s acquisitions have a total combined revenue of about $60 million for the last 12 months, said U.S. Filter Executive Vice President Tim Traff. Palm Desert-based U.S. Filter said the acquisitions include five bottled-water companies, five commercial-service companies, a company that owns new patented technology relating to removing oil from water, and a 12th company it didn’t describe. It didn’t name the companies. U.S. Filter said it has signed letters of intent for an additional five acquisitions and expects the transactions to close in 21 days. U.S. Filter shares rose 62.5 cents to close at $26.625 on the New York Stock Exchange.