In 1938 in Madison, Wisconsin former employees of the Burgess Battery Company purchased patents and buildings from their former employer with the goal to create materials and products that conditioned water which was the start of Research Products Corporation. In 1954, they switched focus to Indoor Air Quality by manufacturing the first whole-house humidifier and AprilAire was born.
Research Products remains highly active and the AprilAire brand is well recognized both in the industry and in many homes. More about their history can be found on their blog.