Harold C. Simmons

Who was Harold C. Simmons?

Harold Clark Simmons was an American businessman and billionaire whose banking expertise helped him develop the acquisition concept known as the leveraged buyout to acquire various corporations. He was the owner of Contran Corporation and of Valhi, Inc.,. As of 2006 he controlled 5 public companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange: NL Industries; Titanium Metals Corporation, the world's largest producer of titanium; Valhi, Inc., a multinational company with operations in the chemicals, component products, Waste Control Specialists, titanium metals industries; CompX International, manufacturer of ergonomic products, and Kronos Worldwide, leading producer and marketer of titanium dioxide.