pump, the J-300, to treat his son's (Ken Jacuzzi) rheumatoid arthritis between hospital visits. He patented the pump in 1952 and began marketing it between 1955 and 1956 as a therapeutic aid. The pump was a portable device that could turn any regular bathtub into a spa. From 1968, a whirlpool bath was produced, which included jets that mixed air and water. This product (called the Roman Bath) was developed by Roy Jacuzzi, a 3rd-generation member of the family. This is considered the first whirlpool tub designed for relaxation, rather than for medical use. Jacuzzi used celebrity Jayne Mansfield and others to market the tubs, which initially gained popularity among Hollywood movie stars. In the 1970s, Jacuzzi products were featured on Queen for a Day and other TV shows and grew in popularity in California. The company started developing larger models that could fit more than one person. They also added filters and heaters, so the tub didn't need to be drained with each use. From 1970, family-sized spas were producted. By 1989, Jacuzzi had 2,200 employees. Initially, Jacuzzi primarily sold through contractors and builders, but in 1993 it started selling through retailers. In the 1990s Jacuzzi entered markets outside the US, especially in Italy and Spain. By the end of the 1990s, half of its sales were outside the US. Jacuzzi was influential in the trend towards larger and more luxurious bathrooms. Changes in ownership By 1979, there were 257 Jacuzzi family members involved in the Jacuzzi brand and there was a growing number of disputes among them. Then the business was acquired by Kidde for $70 million. Most of the Jacuzzi family members left the company, except Roy Jacuzzi, who stayed on as the head of the hot tub and bath division. In 1987, Kidde was acquired by Hanson PLC. In 1995 Hanson spun off Jacuzzi and other brands into a public company called U.S. Industries. USI renamed itself Jacuzzi Brands in 2003. This was in turn bought out by Apollo Management, and then by Investindustrial in 2019. Acquisitions since the 1990s have included Haugh Products (above-ground pools), Sundance Spas, Gatsby Spas, Zurn Industries (toilets, sinks), Hydropool (hot tubs), Liners Direct (bath products), BathWraps (shower and bathtub renovation). In the 1990s, Jacuzzi had taken on too much debt and sold more than $600 million worth of businesses. The business segment producing industrial, irrigation, well water, submersible, and centrifugal