FLEMING TO SHUT BUFFALO DEPOT, MOVE BUSINESS TO PENNSYLVANIA

AMY I. STICKEL

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Fleming Cos. here will close a nonfood distribution center in Buffalo, N.Y., and transfer the business to its general merchandise facility in King of Prussia, Pa.

The Buffalo warehouse, which Fleming added through its acquisition of Scrivner, will close in March 1995, Fleming said in a statement last week.

The planned consolidation represents the fourth warehouse operation that Fleming has scheduled for closing since it acquired Scrivner, also based here, in July. All four warehouses are Scrivner operations.

At the time of the Scrivner deal, Fleming said it expected to close and consolidate up to eight distribution centers over a period of 18 months to capitalize on synergies and eliminate duplication of services. This included both Fleming and Scrivner facilities that served overlapping areas.

Other warehouse closings that Fleming has announced are in Victoria and Donna, Texas, and Montgomery, Ala. The two Texas warehouses, which will have their volume transferred to Fleming's San Antonio facility, are expected to shut down by the end of this month.

The Montgomery, Ala., facility, which is moving its business to Fleming's Geneva, Ala., warehouse, is scheduled to close by mid-October.

Robert E. Stauth, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Fleming, said the distributor will continue to consolidate its operations in order to achieve "the efficiencies necessary to best serve our customers with the lowest prices and unparalleled services."

The Buffalo facility, which is 138,400 square feet, currently supplies supermarkets in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Approximately 120 people are employed there.