Bankruptcy, foreclosure and acquisition explain why a company that once had operations in Bowling Green recently had its building sold.

The building for what was once FARR Manufacturing & Engineering’s technical center gained a new owner Saturday, after the 20-year-old, one-story structure at 401 Emmett Ave. sold for $500,000 at a master commissioner’s sale.

According to the Warren County Master Commissioner’s Office, the sale of the building, which was appraised at $550,000, needs approval by Warren County Circuit Court within the next 10 days before it is final. Gary Newman, the high bidder for the building, did not return calls seeking comment.

Once based in Williamstown, W.Va., FARR made industrial process furnaces, ovens and cleaning products before being acquired by Illinois-based Enviro Tech International a year ago.

FARR’s Williamstown facility became the manufacturing center for the Baron Blakeslee Division of Enviro Tech International Inc. as a result of the acquisition and nine engineers working at Bowling Green’s technical center were retained, according to Richard Morford, general counsel for Enviro Tech.

While FARR was working through bankruptcy proceedings in West Virginia, Enviro Tech could not come to an adequate arrangement for the Emmett Avenue location, Morford said.

Enviro Tech now occupies a temporary office space near The Medical Center and is on the hunt for a permanent location, Morford added.

“We intend to stay in Bowling Green. That’s where the engineering for our Baron Blakeslee Division is and will stay there for the future,” Morford said.

The Baron Blakeslee Division manufactures equipment formerly made under the FARR name, including vapor degreasing systems, solvent recovery systems, parts washers, heat treating furnaces, industrial and laboratory ovens and textile fiber processing equipment.

Saturday’s sale follows FARR’s bankruptcy in 2004 that left a loan for about $2 million from WesBanco Bank unpaid. As a result, WesBanco began foreclosure proceedings on FARR’s Emmett Avenue location to obtain funds.

According to Sherrill Hays, assistant to the master commissioner, FARR sold equipment from its manufacturing operations in Willamstown to offset the debt owned to WesBanco, and was selling other assets of the company as well.

“(The building) was just one asset,” Hays said.

Enviro Tech, based in Melrose Park, Ill., has about 100 employees company-wide with operations in Illinois, West Virginia and Kentucky, along with outside sales representatives in other areas.