Nabisco to Close Houston Bakery

Nabisco, Inc. (Parsippany, NJ) has announced plans to cease operations at its Houston bakery by November 20, 1999. The action is being taken to reduce system-wide excess manufacturing capacity in the U.S. The Houston bakery manufacturers Ritz, Air Crisps, Cheese Nips, Nabisco Graham crackers and Chewy Chips Ahoy! Cookies.

Company officials said the decision to close the facility follows extensive studies of the entire domestic Nabisco bakery network. Those studies indicate that the company's existing baking capacity exceeds its needs, which is adding costs to the company's overall operations. Some additional reasons for closure include that it is one of the oldest bakeries in the Nabisco system, its utilization rate is well below the competitive industry average, and its current production can be accommodated within the other Nabisco bakeries.

Nabisco will remain a major employer in Texas with its sales offices and distribution centers located in Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Irving, Lubbock, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. The company markets products in the U.S., Canada and more than 85 countries around the world.