PRESS RELEASE



      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:


ALLAN M. LIPMAN, JR.,             RANDON W. WILSON, ATTORNEY FOR
PRESIDENT                         SNAKE RIVER SUGAR COMPANY
THE AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY     JONES WALDO HOLBROOK & MCDONOUGH
2427 LINCOLN AVENUE               1500 FIRST INTERSTATE PLAZA
P.O. BOX 1520                     170 SOUTH MAIN STREET
OGDEN, UT   84402                 SALT LAKE CITY, UT   84101
(801) 399-3431                    (801) 521-3200
(801) 393-8042 (FAX)              (801) 328-0537 (FAX)



STEVEN L. WATSON, VICE
PRESIDENT
VALHI, INC.
THREE LINCOLN CENTRE
5430 LBJ FREEWAY, SUITE 1700
DALLAS, TEXAS   75240-2697
(214)  233-1700
(214)  239-0142 (FAX)



           Dallas, Texas . . . June 5, 1996 . . . Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:
      VHI) jointly announced today with Snake River Sugar Company, an
      Oregon cooperative association, the execution of a letter of
      intent by which Snake River would acquire 100% of the voting stock
      of The Amalgamated Sugar Company from Amcorp, Inc., a wholly owned
      subsidiary of Valhi.

           Completion of the transaction is subject to, among other
      things, execution of definitive agreements, obtaining of
      sufficient bank financing by Snake River and execution of
      membership agreements by approximately 1600 sugarbeet growers in
      Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Depending on the form of the
      acquisition, Amcorp would receive consideration with a value of
      $250 million in either a tax-free or tax-deferred transaction,
      subject to certain post closing adjustments based on operating
      performance.  The growers will be required to commit approximately
      220,000 acres of sugarbeets to Snake River and to pay
      approximately $400 per acre to subscribe to preferred stock in the
      cooperative which will raise net funds of approximately $86
      million.

           George Grant, Chairman of Snake River, stated, ``We are
      delighted with the prospect that the growers will now be able to
      own the sugar factories and other facilities that have served us
      for so many years.  We are happy to continue the trend of
      sugarbeet growers in the United States who have acquired their
      processing capability.  This is indeed a great day for sugarbeet
      growers in our region.''  Allan Lipman, President of Amalgamated,
      stated, ``Amalgamated has provided a processing capability and a
      market to sugarbeet growers for a century.  We now look forward to
      working more closely with the growers in adding value to their
      farming operations.  This will allow Amalgamated to continue as a
      highly competitive sugar processor in the United States.''
           Amalgamated operates sugar factories in Twin Falls, Paul, and
      Nampa, Idaho, and in Nyssa, Oregon.  It also has other sugar
      facilities in the states of Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Colorado and
      Washington.

           Valhi is engaged in the chemicals, refined sugar, building
      products and other industries.