51.   The company, based in Kansas City, Missouri, will combine North American operations of Hoechst Roussel Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Marion Merrell.

52.   The company said it is combining several operations from each company, including phone directory, long-distance, and Internet.

53.   The company would combine operations that build infrastructure products for paging, two-way radios and cellular telephones into one division, according to people familiar with the plans.

54.   The Japanese government is ready to support Hokkaido Takushoku Bank Ltd. and Hokkaido Bank Ltd. in their effort to combine operations, Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka told reporters today.

55.   The idea of a merger was born, Raymond said in an interview Tuesday, in lower-level talks earlier this year about combining refining operations in Japan.

56.   The logjam began in June in Texas after the railroad attempted to combine operations.

57.   The merger also makes sense because it gives the two firms an opportunity to cut costs by combining operations.

58.   The major companies are rapidly expanding their coverage zones by combining operations through mergers, building coverage alliances and establishing additional cell phone transmission sites.

59.   The partners are also unlikely to venture into the market until they sort out the technology and marketing issues involved in combining their operations.

60.   The only targets he would identify are customers and employees of Wachovia who might want to look for a new home as it begins combining operations with First Union.