Pentair was founded in August 1966 as Pentair Industries, Inc., with the name derived from the Greek root word "penta-" (alluding to the company's five founders) and "air" (alluding to the company's original product), and went public several months later. The 5 founders were all formally employed by Litton Industries. Originally, they intended to manufacture high altitude research balloons, but they found sales to be less than expected. They acquired a local vacuum-forming business shortly thereafter and set about making canoes. This venture also met with less than expected sales. By 1968 the company was nearly bankrupt. Of the five original founders, one had passed away while three more had pulled out. The only remaining founder, Murray Harpole, brought in an outside investor, Ben Westby and they set about purchasing Peavey Paper Mills, Inc. The company was deeply in debt and badly managed, but the sale price was very inexpensive and Harpole believed that proper management would turn the company around in short order.
