11.   If the plants are sold, a new owner could merge the operations and reduce the hourly work force.

12.   In addition, the company is merging some operations with those of British Petroleum.

13.   It also must decide whether to continue with an administrative trial, even as the companies are merging their operations.

14.   Instead of being required to operate separate state subsidiaries with their own boards of directors, banks would be able to merge operations.

15.   It may also dismantle Aquarius, a low budget resort division, and merge its operations into those of Club Med, analysts said.

16.   Last year, for instance, Amoco and Shell Oil Co. agreed to merge their operations in the Permian Basin in West Texas and northeast New Mexico.

17.   --Leo Burnett Worldwide said it would merge its operations in Adelaide, Australia, with Andrew Robertson Advertising Adelaide.

18.   Ms. Wachner declined to discuss the prospects of either company she runs, and would not quantify the synergies she sees in merging the operations.

19.   More reductions are likely as the Northrop and Grumman operations are merged, officials have said.

20.   One analyst said such problems would continue unless Coke merges its operations with those of its bottlers.