They started the business in Jack McLaughlin's Blacksmith Shop at Northbrook, Illinois.

Emmett perforated the bottom of a coffee can and used greensand to make a water filter.

After a takeover battle from Carl Icahn, E-II emerged from bankruptcy in 1993 under the name Astrum International.

Vivendi spun off its water business in 2000, and the resulting company, Veolia Environnement, sold Culligan to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2003.

[2] In 2021, during a bid to buy out the UK supermarket chain Morrisons, Culligans accused Clayton, Dubilier & Rice of Asset Stripping, leaving the firm 'saddled with over $850 million of debt',[3] CD&R denied the accusations.

[5] From there, they are best known for a television and radio advertisement featuring a housewife yelling out the slogan "Hey, Culligan Man!"

He played the straight man in these advertisements, and his wife Jean Hughes Williams provided the shouting voice.

[6] Filmmaker Dan Bessie directed and animated the award-winning "Hey, Culligan Man!"