Contran Corporation
Owned primarily by Dallas industrialist Harold Simmons, a generous GOP donor, Contran Corporation is a vast holding company that’s given some $3 million to the Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads and to Make Us Great Again, created to support Rick Perry’s presidential bid. Contran owns stakes in a number of subsidiaries, including Valhi, Inc., and in chemical companies (NL Industries and Kronos Worldwide); metals (Titanium Metals Corporation); and computer support systems and security products (CompX International). In 2011, Simmons and Contran gave at least $8.5 million to Super PACs supporting GOP candidates for president.
