HMR's North American Manufacturing Plans

Hoechst Marion Roussel has rev- ealed its plans for manufacturing in North America subsequent to the restructuring of the group since the acquisition of Marion Merrell Dow; the company will close its production facilities in Varennes, Canada and Somerville, New Jersey, as well as the Chelsea Labor-atories generic drug plants in Monroe, Nth Carolina and Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

The plant closures in North America will result in the elimination or redeployment of about 600 jobs throughout the region over an estimated two-year transition per-iod. The move is said to reflect the manufacturing needs of HMR, as it goes from 77 plants worldwide to approximately half that number.