H.J. HEINZ <HNZ> POISED FOR RECORD YEAR H.J. Heinz Co is "within sight of our 22nd consecutive year of new records in financial growth" for the fiscal year ending April 30, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Anthony O'Reilly told investment analysts. O'Reilly, who declined to make a specific projection, said the food company is "stronger than at any time in its 118-year history." Last week Heinz reported third-quarter earnings rose to 55 cts a share from 46 cts a share. Sales rose to 1.08 billion dlrs from 1.01 billion dlrs a year earlier. O'Reilly said Heinz will concentrate on backing its big brands, new products and services, new geography, internal growth and acquisitions. He said Heinz Ketchup has its highest market share in history, 55 pct. But in response to a question, the executive said a volume falloff in the overall product category "is a concern to us." O'Reilly said Weight Watchers continues to perform well and will generate revenue in fiscal 1987 of approximately 940 mln dlrs. O'Reilly told analysts Heinz is in active negotiations to build a second plant in China, where it entered a joint venture with the government in 1984, forming Heinz-UFE Ltd, which produces dry baby food cereal. He said Heinz-Japan is "making a profit and generating its first substantial dividends," and implementation of a new partnership, Seoul-Heinz Ltd, is moving ahead with a new manufacturing plant targeted for completion by June in Seoul, South Korea. To increase its competitiveness, O'Reilly said Heinz implemented a "lowest cost imaginable" program targeted at manufacturing, sales and marketing and procurement. He said a modernization program is in effect at the company's United Kingdom operations, where the labor force, trimmed to 4,000 from 10,000, is expected to be further reduced to 2,500 in 1988.