Nearly 60 employees were made redundant at Mackie International, the Belfast-based engineering firm, yesterday. The company which is in receivership currently employs 300 people.

One of the receivers, Mr Tom Keenan, said last night that 57 employees from all divisions of the Mackie business were being let go. He said the company would continue to trade, but the situation would be reviewed on an ongoing basis. He said he had received several expressions of interest in the business, but would not give further details.

The facility will be advertised in today's Financial Times, Mr Keenan said. It was advertised in this newspaper on Wednesday, as a going concern.

Meanwhile, Mr Roy Parker, of the Bolton-based machinery engineering consultancy, Belroy, said he had contacted the receivers yesterday. He said he was interested in just purchasing the company's textile engineering business. It is one of four Mackie businesses. However, he said he had no interest in the foundry which cost £15 million (€19 million) to build, with IDB backing.