FLEMING COS. TO CUT 200 EMPLOYEES

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Fleming Cos. here said last week it will eliminate approximately 200 corporate positions at the end of January to reduce expenses. The personnel cutback had been scheduled for 1997, the company said, "[but] because the new organizational structure has been well established, Fleming is moving up [its] plans." The new organizational structure refers to the implementation and operation of Fleming's re-engineering program -- the Fleming Flexible Marketing Plan -- which has been installed in 17 of Fleming's 35 divisions since late 1994. The cutbacks will involve about 115 people at Fleming's headquarters here and 85 others located throughout the United States at various Fleming facilities; however, cutbacks will not affect employees at the wholesaler's distribution centers, a spokesman said. He declined to pinpoint how much Fleming expects to save with the cutbacks. He said employees will receive severance packages and outplacement assistance -- charges that Fleming wrote off in fiscal 1994, when it was projecting its re-engineering costs. Fleming also reaffirmed last week that it does not plan to make any additional FFMP installations this year, although it will complete installation of a new software package at one facility in Huntingdon, Pa., during the year. The company said it intends "to be substantially finished" with all FFMP installations by the end of 1997.