It acquired Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories in 1966, and the marine business from Bull & Roberts (now Waltron) in 1984.

[7][2][8][3] In 1994, Nalco Water and Exxon Chemical Company announced the formation of the joint venture, Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals L.P., to provide products and services to all facets of the petroleum and natural gas industries.

Daniel S. Sanders, who was previously president of Exxon Mobil Chemical Company, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil; serves on Nalco's (now, Ecolab's) board.

[9][10] OpenSecrets documents Nalco Company Political Action Committee financial contributions to political candidates, with 2010 contributions to Judy Biggert (R-IL), Charles Boustany (R-LA), Dan Lipinski (D-IL), John Shimkus (R-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

[11] OpenSecrets also lists Nalco Holding Company's spending on lobbying, including $160,000 in 2010 to Ogilvy Government Relations to lobby on their behalf to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, the Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency between April 1 and June 30 of 2010, on "issues related to the use of corexit 9500 in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill".