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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000059255-09-000233.txt : 20100122
<SEC-HEADER>0000059255-09-000233.hdr.sgml : 20100122
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20091204101535
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000059255-09-000233
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20091204

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			VALHI INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000059255
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS [2810]
		IRS NUMBER:				870110150
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5430 LBJ FRWY
		STREET 2:		STE 1700
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75240
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9722331700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		THREE LINCOLN CENTER
		STREET 2:		5430 LBJ FREEWAY SUITE 1700
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75240

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	LLC CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19870329

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	LIBERTY LOAN CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19800414
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
<html>
<head>
    <title>vhisecltr1209.htm</title>
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</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><br>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">December
4, 2009</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">100 F
Street, N.E.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Mail Stop
4631</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Washington,
D.C. 20549</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Attention:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Mr.
Terence O&#8217;Brien, Accounting Branch Chief</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 108pt"></font>Division of Corporation
Finance</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CC:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Ms.
Tracey Houser, Staff Accountant</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
Division of Corporation Finance</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">RE:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Valhi,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended
December 31, 2008 Filed March 12, 2009</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Forms 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarters
Ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
and September 30, 2009</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>File No. 333-48391</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Dear Mr.
O&#8217;Brien</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Reference
is made to the Staff&#8217;s letter dated December 1, 2009, (the &#8220;Comment Letter&#8221;),
which sets forth comments of the Staff regarding the above referenced Form 10-K
and Forms 10-Q of Valhi, Inc. (&#8220;Valhi&#8221;).&#160;&#160;Valhi has responded to the
Comment Letter as follows.&#160;&#160;The responses are numbered to correspond
to the numbers of the Comment Letter.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Form 10-K for the Fiscal
Year Ended December 31, 2008</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">General</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 27pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">1.&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Please
      file on EDGAR as correspondence your letter requesting confidential
      treatment pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 200.83(c) along with Exhibit A
      redacting the information you are requesting confidential
      treatment.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Today we
have filed on EDGAR as correspondence our letter requesting confidential
treatment pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 200.83(c) along with Exhibit A, from
which we have redacted the information for which we are requesting confidential
treatment.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 19.25pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
      </font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Note 11 &#8211; Employee
      benefit plan</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 1.25pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
      </font></div>
            </td>
            <td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We
      note your response to comment 16 in our letter dated October 27,
      2009.&#160;&#160;While we note that you have provided certain information
      on a disaggregated basis within your audited footnote and within the
      critical accounting policies and estimates section of MD&amp;A, we note
      that the guidance on paragraph 7 of SFAS 132R (ASC 715-20-50-4)
      specifically states that if the &#8220;benefit obligation of the plans outside
      the United States are significant relative to the total benefit obligation
      and those plans use significantly different assumptions,&#8221; then
      disaggregated disclosures should be provided for the U.S. and non-U.S.
      plans.&#160;&#160;In your case, the non-U.S. plans represent 81.3% of the
      total benefit obligation, resulting in your U.S. plans comprising 19% of
      your total projected benefit obligation.&#160;&#160;As such, we continue
      to believe that you should provide the disclosures required by paragraph 5
      of the SFAS 132R (ASC 715-20-50-1) on a disaggregated basis for your U.S.
      plans and non-U.S. plans in future
filings.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr></table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">&#160;</div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Page
1</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">&#160;</div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">In our
future filings with the Commission, we will provide the disclosures required by
paragraph 5 of the SFAS 132R (ASC 715-20-50-1) on a disaggregated basis for our
U.S. plans and our non-U.S. plans.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">If you
have any questions regarding our responses to the Comment Letter, please feel
free to call me at (972) 450-4228.&#160;&#160;I can also be reached via
facsimile at (972) 448-1445 or via email at <font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">gswalwell@valhi.net</font>.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Sincerely,</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Valhi,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">By: <font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">_/s/ Gregory M.
Swalwell&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt"></font>Gregory M. Swalwell,</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Vice
President and Controller</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div><br>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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        </div>
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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