Silent auction: The unheralded sale of Franklin Industries

A very large Nashville company with a rich local history has sold out to foreign investors — but if you've never heard of the company, the lack of attention seems to suit its leaders just fine.

The sale of Franklin Industries Inc. closed on December 1st with no public announcement, apart from a notice issued by the Richmond, Va. investment banking firm Harris Williams & Co., which handled the deal. The buyer was Chemical Lime Co., based in Fort Worth, Texas, a unit of global chemical concern the Lhoist Group, which is headquartered in Limelette, Belgium.

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