| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Water Filtration |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Taunusstein, Germany |
| Owner(s) | The Clorox Company |
| Parent | The Clorox Company |
| Website | www.brita.net |
Brita GmbH is a German company founded in 1966 by Heinz Hankammer with headquarters in Taunusstein, Germany, that specializes in water filtration products. The company has production facilities in Germany, Great Britain, India, and Switzerland.[1] Brita products are distributed worldwide, reaching more than 60 countries.[2]The company is the world's market leader in portable household water filtration. Brita products include water jugs, kettles and tap attachments, all of which use silver-impregnated activated carbon and Ion-exchange resin disposable filters as their primary filtering mechanism.[3][4] The activated carbon used in Brita filters is produced from coconut shells.[3] The company manufactures its pitchers from styrene methyl methacrylate copolymer.
In Britain, Hinari manufactures an electric kettle incorporating Brita technology.
The Brita filter is not intended to purify water, and should not be used with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system. Often, the charcoal also ends up in drinking water . Individuals requiring water of special microbiological purity should follow the advice of their doctor or local health officials regarding the use and consumption of their tap water and Brita water.
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Brita filters have a double action:
Brita started in 1966 when Heinz Hankammer had the idea of optimizing normal tap water. He named the company after his daughter Brita. Its headquarters are in Taunusstein near Wiesbaden in Germany. In 1988,[5] The Clorox Company, based in Oakland, California, entered in a licensing-and-distribution agreement with the German company for North and South America. In 2000, Clorox acquired the sole rights to the brand in North America and Brita agreed to a noncompete clause until 2005. In 2008, Brita returned to the North American market under the brand Mavea.[6]
Brita states that “social responsibility, particularly social sponsoring, has always been part of our corporate culture.” The company supports many local and international organizations. In 2007, Brita signed an international cooperation agreement to aid a project instigated by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to provide and/or enhance drinking water in rural Vietnamese villages. With this project, UNICEF aims to provide clean drinking water for at least 60,000 children.[7]
In fall 2010, Brita’is United Kingdom branch collaborated with fashion designer Orla Kiely to support the Breast Cancer Care Charity, which provides professional support and expert information to those affected by breast cancer. The partnership released a limited-edition Hydration Pack containing a water filter jug, three filter cartridges, and a reusable water bottle designed by Kiely and made of 100 percent recycled materials. For every pack sold, Brita donated £1 to the Breast Cancer Care Charity.[8] The owner of Brita, Markus Hankammer, is the chairman of German 3rd Liga club SV Wehen Wiesbaden. When Heinz Hankammer was the owner, he promised them that if they were promoted to the 2.Fußball-Bundesliga he would build them a new stadium in Wiesbaden. They did, and hence the BRITA-Arena was built. Brita is sponsored all over the stadium as well as on the shirt. Markus Hankammer is now the chairman, as his Dad, Heinz Hankammer, retired.